Smooth-billed Ani

Overview

The smooth-billed ani (Crotophaga ani) is a mid-sized bird in the cuckoo family. It is a resident breeding species found across a vast range in the Americas and was introduced to the Galápagos in the 1960s.

Identification

• Measures approximately 35 cm in length, with males weighing around 115 g and females around 95 g.
• Adult plumage is mainly glossy black with a long tail and a deep ridged black bill.
• Eyes have a brown iris.
• Flight is weak and wobbly, but the bird runs well on the ground.

Habitat

Found in open and semi-open country as well as areas under cultivation. Its range extends from southern Florida and the Caribbean through Central America to western Ecuador, Brazil, northern Argentina and southern Chile.

Diet

Feeds on termites, large insects, other invertebrates, fruit, and occasionally lizards, frogs, and the eggs or hatchlings of other birds. It occasionally removes ticks and parasites from grazing animals.

Did you know?

The name Crotophaga was coined by Patrick Browne combining Ancient Greek words meaning "tick-eating," reflecting the bird's habit of picking ticks off cattle. The species name likely derives from the Tupi word for "social bird," highlighting its highly gregarious nature.