Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) - Birds of the Guyanas 24

The Smooth-billed Ani is an extremely social bird that lives in small family groups. You see them often eating together but they also build their nests together and the females incubate each others eggs. The younger birds in the group help raising their siblings as well. They like to take sunbaths in the early morning like in the first picture.

Last year, when I was driving to the local shop, I saw one lying on the road. Birds usually don't do that so I stopped my car and picked it up. It was probably hit by another car but it was alive and didn't seem to be wounded. The other members of the group were all sitting in a bush next to the road waiting for the poor Ani to recover. They seemed to be very concerned about its well being and didn't abandon it.

When I picked it up it started to move again and when I put it in the shade on the ground next to that bush it could already sit again. It was probably knocked about a bit but it was just fine. When I watched it from a little distance, the other 6 or 7 birds gathered all around it supporting their unfortunate group member. When I came back from the shop, they were all gone.

The Smooth-billed Ani is a medium sized bird that lives in central and most of South America. It also can be found in Florida. It eats insects, termites and small invertebrates as well as some fruit. It hangs around cattle to eat ticks and other parasites from the animals backs. It likes open grass land with bushes and smaller trees.

Thank you for visiting my blog and happy birding.