Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani)

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A Field Guide to Eastern Birds. by Roger Tory Peterson.

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Color Photograph: Peter Osenton, U.S. Geological Survey

Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris)

Color Photograph: Deanna Dawson, U.S. Geological Survey

Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani)

Identification: Length from tip of bill to tip of tail 14 inches. Coloration all black to slightly brown-black. Bill massive, triangular, without grooves. Tail elongate, slightly fan-shaped.

Similar Species:  The massive, triangular bill is distinctive. The only similar species is the Groove-billed Ani from southeastern Texas and southward into Mexico (see picture in the lower left of the screen). The bill of the Groove-billed Ani has distinctive grooves in it.

Breeding Range (see map below): The Smooth-billed Ani is a species of the American tropics that breeds and is resident in southern Florida.

Overwintering Range:  See above.

Habitat:  The Smooth-billed Ani is found primarily in agricultural lands, commonly in association with livestock. The species is sometimes also found in thickets and scrubland.

Food:  Insects and other terrestrial invertebrates.

Behavior: The Smooth-billed Ani is often seen riding the backs of cattle and other livestock removing ticks. Female birds usually lay their eggs in a communal nest. The voice has a metallic, shrill quality to it and usually consists of a slurred, double note.

Reproduction:  The clutch of a single female consists of 3 to 5 blue-green eggs. The eggs are usually laid in a communal nest for several females and deposited in layers separated by grass. The nest is constructed of sticks and is placed in shrubs and bushes.