Greater Ani
Crotophaga major
About This Species
This large, glossy black cuckoo forms loose breeding colonies along rivers, lake edges, and marshes across South America and parts of Central America, with several females laying in a single communal nest. Look for noisy groups moving through waterside vegetation and listen for deep, guttural calls, most active in early morning.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- View colonial nesting sites from a distance, ideally from a boat or the opposite bank, since communal nests are vulnerable to disturbance and abandonment if approached too closely during breeding.
- Avoid handling waterside vegetation near active colonies.
LCAvesCuculiformesCuculidae
Seasonal Activity
142,388 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
Photo
(c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning
CC-BY-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.