Greater Ani vs Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Crotophaga major compared with Morococcyx erythropygus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater Ani | Lesser Ground-cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crotophaga major | Morococcyx erythropygus |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.7 cm (15.2 in) | 19.8 cm (7.8 in) |
| Weight | 184.625 g (6.51 oz) | 66.6 g (2.35 oz) |
| Diet | Insectivore of tropical South American marshes; eats hairy caterpillars, large beetles, and small lizards. Also … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 3-7 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Greater Ani
Soft, wheezy call with plaintive quality; delicate notes given quietly from dense grassland cover at dawn.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Soft, ventriloquial whistled phrase; clear pure notes given quietly and deceptively from dense tropical thicket.
Geographic Range & Migration
Greater Ani
Found in tropical forests, mangroves, and marshes from Mexico to Argentina. Resident in lowland wetland habitats.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Conservation Status
Greater Ani
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Greater Ani
Black-eared Bronze-cuckoo: dark ear patch; bronze-green above; barred white below; red eye; distinctive dark ear patches; small
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Greater Roadrunner: boldly streaked brown above; white-cream below with dark streaks; long tail; shaggy crest; bare facial skin; fast runner
About These Birds
Greater Ani
A large, all-black cuckoo (46-48 cm) with a keeled bill and long tail. Found in tropical forests, mangroves, and marshes from Mexico to Argentina. Gregarious, often in groups of 8-20. Insectivore and small vertebrate predator. Communal nester, with several females sharing nests.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Lesser Ground-cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) — 28 cm. Brown above; chestnut rump; whitish underparts; bare blue orbital skin. Inhabits dry and semi-arid scrub from Mexico to Costa Rica. Non-parasitic; builds its own nest in low shrubs. Runs on the ground hunting large insects, lizards, and amphibians. Monotypic genus endemic to Mesoamerica.