Oilbird
Steatornis caripensis
The Oilbird (Steatornis caripensis) is a rare oilbird found in 12 countries, weighing about 408 g. The oilbird, locally known as the guácharo, is a bird species found in the northern areas of South America including the Caribbean island of Trinidad.
About the Oilbird
The oilbird, locally known as the guácharo, is a bird species found in the northern areas of South America including the Caribbean island of Trinidad. It is the only living species in the genus Steatornis, the family Steatornithidae, and the order Steatornithiformes. Nesting in colonies in caves, oilbirds are nocturnal feeders on the fruits of the oil palm and tropical laurels. They are the only nocturnal flying fruit-eating birds in the world. They forage at night, with specially adapted eyesight. However, they navigate by echolocation in the same way as bats, one of the few birds to do so. They produce a high-pitched clicking sound of around 2 kHz that is audible to humans.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This is a large, slim bird at 40–49 cm (16–19 in), with a wing span of 95 cm (37 in). It has a flattened, powerfully hooked, beak surrounded by deep chestnut rictal bristles up to 5 centimetres (2.0 in) long. The adult weighs 350–475 g (12.3–16.8 oz) but the chicks can weigh considerably more, at up to 600 grams (21 oz), when their parents feed them a good deal of fruit before they fly. The feathers of the oilbird are soft like those of many nightbirds, but not as soft as those of owls or nightjars, as they do not need to be silent like predatory species.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Chile.
When to see it
The Oilbird can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Oilbird?
- This is a large, slim bird at 40–49 cm (16–19 in), with a wing span of 95 cm (37 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Oilbird?
- The Oilbird is a large sized bird weighing about 408 g.
- Where can you see an Oilbird?
- The Oilbird occurs in 12 countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, Trinidad & Tobago, Peru and Venezuela.
- Is the Oilbird endangered?
- The Oilbird is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Oilbird for real
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