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guacharo

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gua⋅cha⋅ro

[gwah-chuh-roh]
–noun, plural -ros.
a nocturnal, fruit-eating, South American bird, Steatornis caripensis, the young of which yield an oil derived from their fat.
Also called oilbird.


Origin:
1820–30; < AmerSp
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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gua·cha·ro   (gwä'chə-rō')   
n.   pl. gua·cha·ros
A fruit-eating nocturnal bird (Steatornis caripensis) of South America, whose young have a layer of fat that yields an oil used in cooking and for lighting. Also called oilbird.

[American Spanish guácharo, from guacho, vagabond, from Quechua wáhcha, poor person, orphan.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

guacharo

(Steatornis caripensis), nocturnal bird of South America that lives in caves and feeds on fruit, mainly the nuts of oil palms. The oilbird is an aberrant member of the order Caprimulgiformes; it comprises the family Steatornithidae. About 30 centimetres (12 inches) long, with fanlike tail and long broad wings, it is dark reddish brown, barred with black and spotted with white. It has a strong hook-tipped bill, long bristles around the wide gape, and large dark eyes.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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