Ani still here

Alison Kondler

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Sep 9, 2019, 10:09:03 AM9/9/19

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Got great views of the Ani just now. Could this be an escaped bird? It flew up to many of us as if waiting for a hand out. At one point five of us were about eight feet away from it for about 6 minutes or so.

Alison Kondler
Jefferson County

Adam Vesely

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Sep 9, 2019, 10:45:16 AM9/9/19

to Colorado Birds

Alison, great question, several of us were talking about that very thing yesterday. I'd be curious to get thoughts on this bird being seemingly very comfortable so close to humans from those that have observed this species in Texas and Central/South America. Is that type of cooperation typical for this species in the "wild?"

Adam Vesely

Thornton, CO

Rachel Kolokoff Hopper

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Sep 9, 2019, 10:56:14 AM9/9/19

to COBIRDS

Hi COBirders,

I am not commenting on whether or not this is a wild bird, but I will say that my experience with Groove-billed Ani, which I see and photograph annually in Mexico, is that they are highly social and gregarious birds. When they are not foraging and moving through a particular habitat in a group, I am usually able to get quite close to them for photos.

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Rachel Hopper
rkhphotography.net
r-ho...@comcast.net
Ft. Collins, CO

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Patrick O'Driscoll

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Sep 9, 2019, 11:03:50 AM9/9/19

to Rachel Hopper, COBIRDS

I agree with Rachel. Purely anecdotally and FWIW, I see the species every January when spending a week or two in Puerto Vallarta.

The birds around Isla Cuale, the stream that flows through the heart of town, don't exactly beg for handouts.

But they do freely wander the island and its thickets within a few feet of the stalls of vendors selling tourist items and food.

And yes, the ones I encounter are approachable. They are also rather s-l-o-w and unhurried.

Patrick O'Driscoll

Denver

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Eric DeFonso

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Sep 9, 2019, 12:02:10 PM9/9/19

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Although I didn't see as much of the bird's behavior yesterday afternoon as I'd have liked (due to inclement weather), I didn't see anything that was inconsistent with general wild ani behavior that I've encountered in my travels in tropical locales.

To illustrate the sociality of anis (genus Crotophaga), GBAN is one of the few bird species in the world that are communal nesters, meaning that sometimes multiple females will share a single joint nest with as many as 20 eggs contained therein. Also, the Groove-billeds I've seen in Costa Rica would hang out around hotels, and afforded several photo opportunities. I've photographed Smooth-billeds in a few tropical locales along roadsides too, in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and Brazil.

Over the several months I spent in southeastern Brazil I also became fairly familiar with its congener the Greater Ani (Crotophaga major). Greater Ani is also highly social, and although not necessarily fearless of humans nor is it terribly shy, and Greater Ani sometimes even engages in lengthy group chorus episodes where 3-6 individuals in a group will make a continuous gurgling cackle that can go on uninterrupted for several minutes. I actually got to see this a couple times, and it was quite a treat.

The point being, this bird's casual behavior around people doesn't seem to me to be an argument for prior captivity. It seemed like a typical ani to me. And I've never even heard of anis as being desired cage birds.

Eric

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Eric DeFonso
near Lyons, Boulder County, CO

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Karen Drozda

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Sep 9, 2019, 1:38:55 PM9/9/19

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On Monday, September 9, 2019 at 8:09:03 AM UTC-6, Alison Kondler wrote:

Karen Drozda

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Sep 9, 2019, 1:42:54 PM9/9/19

to Colorado Birds

As of 1130 the Ani was still quite visible. Follow the gravel trail parallel to the white building with red stripe "RK". Along the chain link fence, there is a lone cottonwood tree about 100 yds down the trail. Looking into Sand Creek, there is a small cottonwood in Sand Creek. Look into the willows at the base of the cottonwood. The bird was calling earlier and preening. It seems to be settled in that spot for the heat of the day. Many observers this a.m.

On Monday, September 9, 2019 at 8:09:03 AM UTC-6, Alison Kondler wrote:

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