Birds and Birding's Guide to:

Watching THE CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS

THE CUCKOOS

Anis, or Savanna Cuckoos

Passing over the several small Central and South American subfamilies, the members of which present nothing of particular interest, we come to the final subfamily (Crotopkagince), also American, which is distinguished at once by the tail of only eight feathers.

Although this group numbers but two genera and four species, they are all birds of much interest, and it will be necessary to describe them quite fully. The typical members are the Anis, or Savanna Cuckoos (Crotophaga), the three species of which range from the southern United States through Central America and the West Indies to Peru and Argentina, and are characterized by a very deep and compressed bill, * a uniform blackish plumage, and the absence of an occipital crest.

The Black Ani, Blackbird, Savanna Blackbird, or Tick-bird (C. ani) is mainly a native of the West Indies and eastern South America, its only claim to be considered North American resting on its casual or fortuitous occurrences in southern Florida and Louisiana.

We may, however, quote from the very full account of Mr. C. B. Taylor, who observed the bird in Jamaica. He says: “It is one of the commonest birds near Kingston; and in most open and sparsely wooded lands, or in the vicinity of cultivated clearings, little groups or companies may nearly always be seen. Blackbirds are invariably present where cattle are pastured. I cannot recollect an instance in which I have noted a herd of cows at pasture without a flock of these birds appearing in company with them or in their immediate vicinity.

This association is doubtless chiefly for the purpose of feeding on the ticks and other parasites on the animals, a good work largely shared by the Crackles. It is most interesting to watch a company of Blackbirds when thus engaged. Many are perched on the backs of the cattle (two or three sometimes on one cow), others are on the ground, hopping about fearlessly among the grazing herd, searching for insects at the roots of the herbage or capturing those disturbed by the feet of the cattle. Insects of all orders and their larvae, ticks, grubs, etc., form their chief food. Occasionally, perhaps, a few small lizards are taken, and, I believe, the eggs of other birds.

“Their nesting habits are exceedingly curious and interesting. Many individuals (possibly members of one flock) work together in the construction of one large nest in which all the females of the company lay their eggs. The number of eggs deposited in different nests varies greatly, but is, of course, dependent on the number of birds in the company. Six and eight eggs are commonly found. I once took eleven, and in August last year (1891) I saw a clutch of twenty-one that had been taken from a single nest! It is probable that normally not more than two eggs are deposited by each bird, but nothing definite can be said on this point. The nest, which is usually placed high up in a tall tree, is a large, loosely constructed mass of twigs, entirely lined with dried leaves. But the most remarkable circumstance in connection with the nesting of these birds is the disposition of the eggs in regular layers with leaves between.

This custom I had long heard of before an opportunity offered for personal observation. In the first nest I examined the eggs were in two distinct layers, separated by a deep bed of dry leaves; the bottom layer consisted of four eggs, and these, strange to say, were all infertile. I believe this singular habit is practiced in all cases where a large number of birds resort to the same nest. The eggs are a deep bluish green, but when freshly laid are covered with a white chalky coat which soon becomes much scratched and erased on all. Now what seems very singular is that comparatively little of this chalky covering gets rubbed off the sides, when from turning over the eggs in the nest we should expect to see the greatest extent of denudation, whereas one or both ends are nearly always denuded. .

.. I have found eggs and young in February and throughout the succeeding months to August, two or three broods probably being reared. I have also seen young, fully fledged but unable to fly, and hopping about the branches of the nesting tree."

 

previous bird species next bird species