Fun Greater Ani Facts For Kids

If you are looking for an interesting bird originating from South and Central America, then the greater ani is the bird you should read about. Part of the Crotophaga genus which includes two other species, the smooth-billed ani and the groove-billed ani, the greater ani belongs to the family of cuckoos.

They have a widespread distribution all over Central and South America. Interestingly, these birds are usually found at an elevation of 1,600-2,600 ft (488-793 m) above sea level.

Occasionally, in countries such as Bolivia, they have been observed at heights of over 8,000 ft (2,438 m).

Information regarding this bird species can be a little difficult to obtain due to their secretive nature, which is in contrast to the famous smooth-billed ani birds. If you are looking to learn more about this abundant bird, then scroll down.

For more relatable content, check out these military macaw facts and peacock facts for kids.

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Greater Ani Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a greater ani?

The greater ani (Crotophaga major) bird is a species of bird in the ani bird group belonging to the family of cuckoos.

What class of animal does a greater ani belong to?

Being a bird, the greater ani (Crotophaga major) belongs to the class Aves or to the class of birds. They are part of the family Cuculidae or the family of cuckoos, just like their cousins: the smooth-billed ani and the groove-billed ani. These species are known to be part of the New World group of birds.

How many greater anis are there in the world?

Greater ani (Crotophaga major) birds have a huge population on the continents of South and Central America. They are not really found much in the northern parts of the American continental landmass. Even then, their population is estimated is to be somewhere between 500,000 to 5 million individuals.

Where does a greater ani live?

Crotophaga major (the greater ani) is a species of bird that lives in tropical forest areas, swamps, and marshes. They are found amidst forest vegetation in countries such as northern Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Suriname, and Panama.

Apart from Panama, there is also an extant population that can be found in countries such as Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados.

What is a greater ani's habitat?

The natural habitat of the greater ani (Crotophaga major) primarily consists of tropical forest vegetation and wetlands. Swamps and marshes are also part of the habitat of these birds.

Who do greater anis live with?

These birds are known to live together in noisy groups. These noisy groups can consist of around one to five pairs of breeding adult birds, while the total bird count in groups may range between 15-20 birds.

There has been some in-fighting observed within groups over territory, yet they are not as violent as the smooth-billed ani. It is not really uncommon for around three to four groups to nest within a close range of area.

How long does a greater ani live?

While there has been some debate as to the lifespan of the greater ani (Crotophaga major) in the wild, most researchers have concluded that these birds live for around four to five years. Yellow-billed cuckoos have a similar lifespan.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season of the Crotophaga major bird species varies according to their locations. These birds mostly start their breeding process at the end of the dry season.

Adult males and females undertake nest-building after the onset of the rainy season. Interestingly, a group of this species makes not one nest, but two to three nests.

Yet, while laying their eggs, the pairs will only use one nest. This nest is cohabited by around three breeding pairs and can hold more than 10 eggs.

The clutch size also oscillates between two to seven eggs, with four eggs considered to be the average. Once eggs are laid, incubation is done by adult males and females.

The greater ani (Crotophaga major) has a short incubation time of 11-12 days, after which the dark blue-green eggs hatch. You might be amazed to know that hatchlings have the opportunity to leave the nest just five days after hatching.

What is their conservation status?

Due to their large numbers, the International Union For Conservation Of Nature (IUCN) has listed the birds as Least Concern in their conservation Red List. Despite this status, nesting sites of the species have been destroyed due to the clearing of forest areas.

Greater Ani Fun Facts

What do greater anis look like?

The greater ani (Crotophaga major) has a unique appearance. Commonly referred to as a black cuckoo, like other ani birds, it has a long tail.

This long tail is covered with black plumage that has a slight purple hue to it. Apart from the tail, the overall plumage of the bird is black with blue and green glossy shades.

However, unlike the smooth-billed and the groove-billed ani, the iris of the Crotophaga major is white. This species of bird has a large bill that is dark in color.

The bird is also known to use its bill as a wedging tool when it moves around the wet leaves of the forest during foraging. These small-sized cuckoo birds have wings that are proportional and round and there is no such distinction between the male and the females of the species.

How cute are they?

While this dark-hued bird may not be the most pleasant to look at, some may find them very cute and adorable with their long tails. This ani bird is also known for its distinct call sounds. You may find these calls to be pleasant as well, although they are kind of hoarse in nature.

How do they communicate?

The greater ani call is quite well-known. The calls of these bird species have often been described as hoarse and loud. However, these calls have purposes. An alarm call or a group call is amongst the more frequent vocalizations of this bird. Males, on the other hand, have been noted to snap their bills when irritated.

How big is a greater ani?

Due to their long tail length, these anis have been measured to be somewhere between 17.3-18.9 in (44-48 cm). In comparison, the black-billed cuckoo is quite small in size.

How fast can a greater ani fly?

A greater ani in flight can make for a hard watch as they are thought to be clumsy fliers. Due to an inadequacy in data, we do not really know about the speed of their flight.

How much does a greater ani weigh?

The weight of this bird range between 4.5-8.1 oz (127-230 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Males and females of this species have no such distinct names.

What would you call a baby greater ani?

Young birds of this species can simply be called nestlings or hatchlings.

What do they eat?

Being an omnivore, the greater ani feeds on both insects and small creatures, and plants. They are predators too, and their diet includes prey like lizards, small frogs, beetles, and spiders. Additionally, the greater ani feeds on the berries and seeds of the euphorbia plant.

Are they dangerous?

No, this species of bird is not dangerous at all,

Would they make a good pet?

Greater anis are wild avian creatures who are also quite secretive. As a result, it would be really difficult to tame them.

Did you know...

Their incubation period of 11-12 days is considered to be the shortest time span for incubating and embryo development amongst avians.

How high can greater anis fly?

While this type of anis can be found at elevation ranges as high as 8,000 ft (2,438 m), we do not really know how high they can fly.

What sounds do greater anis make?

The Crotophaga major has various calls. They are known to make sounds like 'kuh', 'kyow', and 'kaak-kaak-kaak'!

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our red-cockaded woodpecker fun facts and western tanager surprising facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Greater Ani coloring pages.