Though I’d heard about local sightings since last year, I’d never seen the Smooth-billed Ani until a recent rainy morning. This unique-looking member of the Cuckoo family is found only in certain parts of south Florida, Central and South America, and the Caribbean (All About Birds).
Smooth-billed Ani on a very overcast and drizzly morning.
According to the Audubon Society website: “John James Audubon and other early naturalists failed to find the Smooth-billed Ani in Florida, but it became a regular nesting bird there during the 1930s and was fairly common for several decades. Recently it has become very scarce again and may disappear from Florida.”
Though its numbers are declining in Florida, it is not currently considered threatened. I was pleasantly surprised to observe several of them foraging in the marsh and flying about at a nearby refuge, totally unperturbed by a happy handful of human admirers!
Birder's Journey 
Great find and photo. Looking at the huge bill, I can’t help but wonder what they’re eating – large seeds of some sort?!
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Yes, their bill is surprisingly large and bulbous. Based on what I’ve read, they mostly eat small amphibians and lizards, snails, large insects & their larvae, seeds, and berries.
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That is a great photo of this special bird! So wonderful to hear you saw several of them! Thank you for sharing, Bj. 🙂
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True to form, some friendly birders shared their sightings to let others know where the Ani’s were!
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Good find! 🙂
Love his beak!
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Haha! I had heard the Ani has a large beak. But I didn’t know it was that large till I saw him!
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Interesting bird BJ, it is always the birders greatest joy to see a lifer, several of us have been seeing lifers recently, and sharing our joy:-)
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Yes!! I actually saw two life list firsts that morning – the Ani and a Snail Kite!
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Great find and fantastic photo! I love his face and beak, it looks as if he’s happy and grinning! 🙂
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I agree Donna – I think he was enjoying all the attention 😉
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Interesting bird. What a great find.
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It certainly was a great find – truly made my day, Donna!
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What a remarkable looking bird, wonderful shot.
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Thank you Belinda – it was quite remarkable to see him close up in the field.
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I can just imagine!
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🙂
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A very nice find. Interesting that this tropical flyer is so “rare” and that his grackle cousin flourishes. I hope you see many more. Thanks.
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Even though they are from completely different Families (even Orders), it was hard to tell from a distance if I was looking at a Boat-tailed Grackle or the Ani! Thanks, Berny:)
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So unlike its beautiful cuckoo relatives. This is a fantastic shot, and you highlighted the birds head so nicely, but I still think they are homely.
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Lol, when I first saw a picture of the Ani, I thought the same thing, Sue. But seeing such a hard-to-find bird in real life makes him seem so special!
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Absolutely, even homely ones!!
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Congratulations for spotting this rare bird!
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I saw 2-3 that morning – but haven’t seen them since 😉
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What a remarkable find and a fantastic photo.
Went to Sanibel Island, but didn’t see spoonbill. Lots of other birds to photograph, though.
Yesterday, I photographed a barred owlet at Pinecraft Park in Sarasota. That was a great sight to behold. The parent was nearby, but hidden behind too many branches. I’ll be going back there in a couple of weeks to photograph the owlet again.
I will post the photo sometime next week on my blog.
I can’t believe time is flying by so fast. Back home in MI end of April.
Connie
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Barred owlet…wow! Look forward to seeing it 😉
Making the most of Florida and our marvelous birds!! ✨
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Yes, I am, just not enough hours in a day.
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So many birds, so little time ☺️✨
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