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A rare daytime encounter with a nocturnal oilbird turned into a rescue operation in Trinidad and Tobago, according to wildlife rescuer Nicholas Walker. Walker said he was called to remove the bird, which he described as one of the rarest animal encounters of his life. Oilbirds are nocturnal and live in only a few caves around the country, so they are normally seen in darkness. He explained that the oilbird is the only nocturnal fruit-eating bird in the world and navigates using echolocation similar to bats. The bird was left overnight in the hope it would leave, but Walker said he got a call the next morning saying it was still there. He then contacted friends to guide him on handling the bird, noting that he is not a bird handler. Once it was safe, the bird was sent to a vet to ensure it was healthy and free of diseases. Because its origin was unknown, the next step was releasing it into a new bird colony. Walker said friends who work at Ace Rite, where one of the most accessible caves is located, helped with the release after a few days of checkups. Walker also shared that oilbirds got their name because they feed exclusively on fatty fruits, and that fledglings can grow as big as or bigger than their parents. Historically, people boiled fledglings to extract oil for lamps, which almost drove the species to extinction. This bird, he said, was safe from that fate. Watch the original video on Facebook Article and image source: facebook.com
A rare daytime encounter with a nocturnal oilbird turned into a rescue operation in Trinidad and Tobago, according to wildlife rescuer Nicholas Walker.
Walker said he was called to remove the bird, which he described as one of the rarest animal encounters of his life. Oilbirds are nocturnal and live in only a few caves around the country, so they are normally seen in darkness. He explained that the oilbird is the only nocturnal fruit-eating bird in the world and navigates using echolocation similar to bats.
The bird was left overnight in the hope it would leave, but Walker said he got a call the next morning saying it was still there. He then contacted friends to guide him on handling the bird, noting that he is not a bird handler.
Once it was safe, the bird was sent to a vet to ensure it was healthy and free of diseases. Because its origin was unknown, the next step was releasing it into a new bird colony. Walker said friends who work at Ace Rite, where one of the most accessible caves is located, helped with the release after a few days of checkups.
Walker also shared that oilbirds got their name because they feed exclusively on fatty fruits, and that fledglings can grow as big as or bigger than their parents. Historically, people boiled fledglings to extract oil for lamps, which almost drove the species to extinction. This bird, he said, was safe from that fate.
News Desk is the editorial publishing account for Tringlobe Media News, covering breaking news, public affairs, entertainment, community developments and regional stories across Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and internationally.
