# Smooth-billed Ani

Scientific name: Crotophaga ani

Bird group: [cuckoo](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/cuckoo)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/76/Smooth-billed-Ani

## Identification

The smooth-billed ani (Crotophaga ani) is a large near passerine bird in the cuckoo family. It is a resident breeding species from southern Florida, the Caribbean, parts of Central America, south to western Ecuador, Brazil, northern Argentina and southern Chile. It was introduced to Galápagos around the 1960s and is potentially impacting native and endemic species across the archipelago.
The smooth-billed ani is a mid-sized species, larger on average than the groove-billed ani but smaller than the greater ani. It measures 30–36 cm (12–14 in) in length and weighs 71–133 g (2.5–4.7 oz). 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 species is called "el pijul" in Venezuelan folklore.[citation needed] It is mentioned in the popular Veracruz song "El Pijul".


## Distribution and habitat

The Smooth-billed Ani occurs from the southern tip of the 
United States through the West 
Indies, and from Costa Rica 
through most of South America 
(Biaggi 1997, Raffaele and 
others 1998). It is a common 
widespread breeding resident 
in Puerto Rico (Oberle 2018, 
Raffaele 1989a) and satellite 
islands such as Desecheo (Meier 
and others 1989), Mona (Barnés 
1946, Gordon and others 1961, 
Terborgh and Faaborg 1973), 
Culebra (Wetmore 1917), and 
Vieques (Saliva 1994, Sorrié 1975, 
Wetmore 1916), in the latter 
being a fairly common resident 
(Gemmill 2015). Anis are most common, usually in fl ocks, in 
open and semi-open habitats 
including pastures with scattered 
trees and shrubby fields (Oberle 
2018, Raffaele 1989a). The atlas 
fieldwork yielded a total of 631 
records within 359 hexagons 
or 75 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 359 
hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of confirmed in 
6 percent (20) of the hexagons, 
probable in 15 percent (54), and 
possible in 79 percent (282), 
while the species was observed 
in 1 percent (3) of the hexagons 
but without evidence of breeding 
(see map). Smooth-billed Ani distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.      67Smooth-billed Ani/Garrapatero o Judío

## Breeding

The Smooth-billed Ani builds a large bulky nest made mostly 
of twigs, leaves, and dried plant 
material, usually placed in a 
tree at several meters above 
the ground (Biaggi 1997). The 
nest is used communally by 
different females to lay their 
eggs (Raffaele and others 1998). 
Previously published reports 
indicate that this species appears 
to breed year-round (Raffaele 
and others 1998). Atlas results 
show that this species breeding 
season extends throughout the 
year, with the most breeding activity from March to June (see 
chart). Overall, the breeding 
activity peaks in June, and it 
mostly takes place within the 
subtropical moist forest life zone 
(63 percent of the hexagons) 
(see table). However, results 
indicate that it also breeds in 
the southern region within the 
subtropical dry forest life zone 
(22 percent of the hexagons) 
and in subtropical wet and lower 
montane wet forest life zones 
at higher elevations (15 percent 
of the hexagons) (see table 
and map).

## Conservation

The current population trend of the Smooth-billed Ani is 
described as decreasing in North 
America (Butcher and Niven 
2007). This species is currently 
listed as a species of least 
concern by the IUCN (BirdLife 
International 2018). Locally, 
this species is not listed in any 
of the threatened categories of 
PRDNER and USFWS. In Puerto 
Rico, the Smooth-billed Ani has 
a protected habitat in land of 12 
percent or 1020 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons 
where evidence of breeding 
was found for this species 
(8490 km2).

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_076_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_076_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.