GROOVE-BILLED ANI 



A very common bird frequenting pastures and 

 roadsides in small, straggling flocks whose 

 individuals are usually seen sitting sleepily here 

 and there on bushes or fences, flying off one by 

 one when approached. It is one of the species 

 that the visitor to the Canal Zone will first 

 notice, as some are usually to be seen along the 

 railroad. 



It is called the "Garrapatero" or "tick bird" 

 by the Panamanians, and must be truly a 

 benefactor to the tick-infested cattle, being often 

 seen perched on their backs performing its grate- 

 ful office, or on the ground near their tracks, 

 feeding on the insects stirred up by their passage. 

 The call most frequently heard is two slurred 

 metallic notes, grating and interrogative. Its 

 eggs are laid in large, communal nests. 



10. Crotophaga sulcirostris Swains on 

 Groove-billed Ani 



Sexes alike. Length, 302 mm. (11.90 in.); 

 tail, 174 mm. (6.80 in.). Slightly smaller but 

 otherwise almost exactly like C. ani except for 

 having several curved longitudinal grooves on 

 the sides of the bill. 



This bird so closely resembles Crotophaga ani 

 in appearance and habits that it is hard to distin- 

 guish the two species, the grooves on the bill 

 being difficult to see clearly, except in especially 

 favorable light, even at quite close range. The 

 difficulty is increased by the fact that these birds 



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