The oilbird is the South American rainforest bird that navigates dark caves using echolocation.
Oilbirds are nocturnal, fruit-eating birds found mainly in northern South America, including Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana, and Trinidad. They roost and breed in caves, where they use sharp clicking sounds and listen for returning echoes to avoid obstacles. This ability makes them unusual among birds; some swiftlets and cave-dwelling birds also use forms of echolocation, but the oilbird is especially famous for it.
Its common name comes from young birds being historically collected for their unusually fat-rich bodies. The fat was rendered into oil for cooking and lighting. Oilbirds are related to the nightjars, not to owls or true cave birds.
Adults leave caves at night to feed mostly on oily palm and tropical fruit. They swallow fruit whole and later disperse seeds, linking their cave life to rainforest regeneration.