Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Groove-billed Ani
Crotophaga sulcirostris
Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 82 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
- Genus Crotophaga
- Species sulcirostris
Where it lives
Mexico to Guyana and northwestern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 82 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Groove-billed Ani is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Groove-billed Ani is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Mexico to Guyana and nw Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 82 g, with a wing length of about 12.9 cm and a tail of around 16.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Groove-billed Ani?
The Groove-billed Ani is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 82 g.
Where does the Groove-billed Ani live?
The Groove-billed Ani is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Mexico to Guyana and nw Argentina, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Groove-billed Ani belong to?
The Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Groove-billed Ani eat?
The Groove-billed Ani is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Groove-billed Ani migrate?
The Groove-billed Ani is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Groove-billed Ani endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Groove-billed Ani make?
1 real field recording of the Groove-billed Ani — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Groove-billed Ani's range?
The Groove-billed Ani has a mapped global range of about 2.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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