Smooth-Billed Ani
Crotophaga ani
The Smooth-Billed Ani is a rare South Florida cuckoo recognized by its glossy black plumage, oversized smooth bill, long tail, and highly social behavior.
The Smooth-Billed Ani is a tropical member of the cuckoo family and a scarce resident of South Florida. Its glossy black feathers, long loose-looking tail, and unusually tall, smooth-sided bill give it a distinctive profile.
Anis favor open country with shrubs, wet pasture edges, overgrown fields, and disturbed habitat. Florida numbers have fallen sharply since the 1970s, making present-day sightings uncommon and locally concentrated.
Habitat:
Grasslands and Agricultural Areas, Freshwater Wetlands, Urban and Residential Areas
Area / Range:
South Florida, Florida Keys
Diet:
Large insects, spiders, snails, small lizards and frogs, occasional eggs or nestlings, berries, seeds, and other fruit. Groups often forage near grazing animals or recently disturbed ground.
Behavior:
Lives in social groups that forage, roost, defend territory, and raise young together. Several females can lay eggs in one communal nest, while multiple adults share incubation and chick care.
Day
Active Times:
Best time to see:
Search after sunrise in open, brushy areas of South Florida, especially wet pasture edges and low shrubby fields where groups forage together.
Florida Native Status:
Native
Conservation Status:
Least Concern globally. Florida's small breeding population has declined sharply and is now rare and localized.
Safety Level:
Harmless. Avoid Handling
Safety Information:
This bird poses no danger to people or pets. Observe from a distance and avoid approaching an active nest or separating a group.
Benefits to Property:
Consumes large insects, spiders, snails, and other small animals in open landscapes. Its presence adds value to healthy, wildlife-friendly habitat.
Property Concerns:
It does not damage buildings, lawns, or landscape plants. Clearing brushy edges and using broad insecticides removes feeding and nesting habitat.
Fun Fact:
The name ani is linked to a word meaning social bird. Several breeding pairs can use the same nest, and older young sometimes help feed later broods.
Wildlife Laws:
Smooth-Billed Anis are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Florida wildlife law. Do not capture, harm, possess, or disturb birds, eggs, or active nests.
Identification:
Look for an all-black bird with a very large arched bill, long graduated tail, broad rounded wings, and dark eyes. The bill is smooth on the sides rather than deeply grooved.
Its floppy flight, loud repeated calls, group behavior, and habit of moving through low vegetation help separate it from crows, grackles, and other black birds.