Oilbird
Steatornis caripensis
- Family
- Oilbird (Steatornithidae)
- Order
- Steatornithiformes
Overview
The oilbird (Steatornis caripensis), 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 (the kākāpō, also nocturnal, is flightless).
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Locally from Panama and northern South America including Trinidad to western Bolivia.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Oilbird
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
