Steatornis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genus of birds known for their noisy behavior and distinctive feather patterns; a specific nocturnal bird species found in tropical regions; a zoological classification denoting a particular type of avian characterized by unique traits
2. A group of birds recognized for their loud calls and unique plumage; a nocturnal species native to warm climates; a taxonomic category identifying certain birds with specialized features
3. An avian genus notable for its cacophonous vocalizations and distinct feathering; a night-active bird found in tropical habitats; a classification used in ornithology for birds exhibiting characteristic morphology

Etymology: Steatornis is the scientific genus name of the oilbird, a nocturnal, cave-dwelling bird of northern South America and Trinidad that navigates by echolocation. The name was coined in 1816 by the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, who had found the birds in a cave in Venezuela. It is a New Latin formation built from Greek roots: "stear" (stearos), meaning fat or tallow, and "ornis," meaning bird. The bird was named for its unusual habit of being harvested for fat, which the local people rendered from the nestlings. The point of the name is the fat. Humboldt's account described the young birds being killed and boiled down for their oil, which was used as a lamp fuel and cooking fat in the region. The genus name therefore reads roughly as "fat bird," a plain description of what made the bird valuable to people who lived near its caves.

Synonyms: fossil bird, prehistoric bird