Smooth billed Ani
Crotophaga sulcirostris
Photographed in the wild,
St Thomas USVI Mar 2015
Dominican Rep Sep 2016
The smooth-billed is part of the cuckoo family and
larger on average than the groove-billed Ani. This Ani is found in open and
semi-open country and areas under cultivation. The nest, built communally by
several pairs, is a deep cup lined with leaves and placed usually
6.6–19.7 feet high in a tree. Many females lay their chalky blue eggs in
the nest and then share incubation and feeding. Each female is capable of laying
up to seven eggs, and nests have been found containing up to 29 eggs, but it is
rare for more than ten to hatch.
The adult is mainly flat black, with a long tail, deep
ridged black bill and a brown iris. The flight is weak and wobbly, but the bird
runs well and usually feeds on the ground.
This is a very gregarious species, always found in
noisy groups. The smooth-billed Ani feeds on termites, large insects and even
lizards and frogs. They will occasionally remove ticks and other parasites from
grazing Animals.
No comments:
Post a Comment