Probably the most unexpected bird we saw during our stay at Sani Lodge. The two most experienced bird guides at Sani Lodge Carlos and Domingo had apparently never seen this species at Sani Lodge but had none the less seen it a couple of times at other places in the Amazon lowland. These strange nocturnal birds are usually seen in caves in the foothills where they breed and roost during the day. In Ecuador there are two well known caves birders visit in order to see Oilbirds and only very rarely they are recorded away from these two sites.
Oilbirds are related to nightjars but placed in its own family. And where the nightjars and their relatives are insectivores the Oilbird is a specialist fructivore feeding on the fruits of the Oil Palm and tropical laurels.
This bird was found with a flashlight perched on a branch over our canoe when we were heading back to the lodge after a successful evening excursion to see Black-banded owl and Long-tailed Potoo.
English version