| Greater Ani | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Cuculiformes |
| Family: | Cuculidae |
| Genus: | Crotophaga |
| Species: | Crotophaga major |
The Greater Ani (Crotophaga major) is a cuckoo of unusual behaviour and appearance.
Description[]
The largest of all Anis, the Greater Ani can be up to 50 cm long and weighs 170 g. It has an iridescent black plumage with a green, blue and purplish gloss. It has broad, rounded wings, a long tail, and piercing yellow eyes. Its bill is thick, slightly curved, and with a strange protuberance on top of it. It is zygodactyl, meaning it has two toes facing forward and two backward. The sexes are identical, and the juvenile is similar to the adult, but with a dark iris.
Behaviour[]
The Greater Ani feeds on large insects, frogs and lizards. It is a very gregarious bird that lives in large, noisy groups. Each group defends its territory from other groups. They roost together, perched on a branch and pressed against each other. Its croaking call resembles that of a turkey, while its alarm call is a repeated, harsh, rasping note. Due to its aquatic habits, the Greater Ani often has to sunbathe to dry its feathers. It is also able to lower its body temperature to adapt to cooler weather conditions at night. The nest, a cup made of plant material where the females incubate together, is built communally by multiple couples. Females who have lost their own clutch will sometimes lay eggs in the nest of another nesting group. The eggs are blue.
Distribution and Habitat[]
This cuckoo lives in the tropical and subtropical Americas, from Panama to northern Argentina. It is a wetland species and its preferred habitats are mangrove swamps and open woodland or forest edges in the proximity of a body of water.
Status[]
The size of its population is unknown, but it appears to be stable and the species is considered fairly common. It is therefore a Least Concern species, however, the population is expected to decline by <25% over a period of 13 years (three generations) due to habitat loss.