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The bizarre and unique Oilbird (it is the world's only nocturnal and fruit-eating bird) was
little-known from Panama prior to the 21st century. Its status in this country is still somewhat uncertain;
in the last decade there have been a scattering of reports from central Panama, from Barro Colorado Island, Parque Metropolitano,
and Cerro Azul. It is possible that these birds were all vagrants from established colonies in South America, or there may exist a nesting
cave somewhere in Panama. If the latter is the case it may be better left undiscovered; roosting Oilbirds are extremely sensitive to human disturbance,
and their oil-plump young are still persecuted where unprotected in the neotropics.
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