Greater Ani
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Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Cuculidae

[Photo] Greater Ani (Crotophaga major). Napo Wildlife Centre, Amazonian Rainforest, Napo, Ecuador. Date: Taken on August 4, 2007. Source: Flickr (www.flickr.com/photos/surgenor/1506490328/). Author: Malcolm Surgenor (www.flickr.com/photos/surgenor/).

The Greater Ani, Crotophaga major, is a large near-passerine bird in the cuckoo family. It is a breeding species from Panama and Trinidad through tropical South America to northern Argentina.

This ani is found in mangrove swamps, semi-open woodland near water, and the edges of forests. It is a seasonal smigrant in at least some parts of its range. The nest, built communally by several pairs, is a deep cup lined with leaves and placed usually 2-5 m high in a tree. A number of females lay their chalky deep blue eggs in the nest and then share incubation and feeding. Nests have been found containing 3-10 eggs.

The Greater Ani is about 48 cm long and weighs 170 g. The adult is mainly blue-glossed black, with a long tail, massive ridged black bill, and a white iris. Immature birds have a dark iris.

This is a very gregarious species, always found in noisy groups. The calls include croaking and turkey-like gobbling kro-koro. The Greater Anis feed on large insect and even lizards and frogs.

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