Steatornis – Oilbird
The main food item in the chick’s diet is palm fruit; due to this oily diet, they were once caught and boiled as lamp oil
While all other night birds are insectivores, the oilbird depends on fruits for its diet. Oilbirds have adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle by improving eye sensitivity, sharpening their sense of smell, and developing a functional echolocation system.
They prefer to breed and roost in large colonies within dark caves where Sunrays won’t enter to disturb their peace.
They are not good friends with Sun and only come out of their caves to forage for food during nighttime. Their sense of smell and sight helps them locate their favorite palm fruits in the dark, while echolocation through vocal clicks allows them to navigate the crowded and gloomy caves.
Species in this genus
Oilbird
This nocturnal species lives in caves and uses echolocation to navigate, and yes, it is a bird, not a bat!
