What does ani mean?
The ani is any of three species of glossy black cuckoos that make up the genus Crotophaga and inhabit the American tropics, from Florida and Texas through the Caribbean to South America. Unlike most cuckoos, which famously parasitize other birds' nests, anis raise their own young — but they do so cooperatively. Several mated pairs may share a single bulky communal nest, laying eggs side by side and taking turns incubating and feeding the chicks, a behavior that has made them a favorite subject of studies in cooperative breeding. Anis have loose, shaggy plumage, long graduated tails, and deep, flattened bills that give the smooth-billed and groove-billed species their names. They are noisy, social birds often seen in small groups foraging for insects in open country near water.
nounA ani is any of three species of glossy black, long-tailed cuckoos of the American tropics, belonging to the genus Crotophaga, known for living in cooperative breeding groups.
- Any of three species of black, long-tailed, gregarious cuckoos of the genus Crotophaga native to the American tropics, notable for cooperative breeding.
"From the mangrove edge we watched a group of anis squabbling noisily over a grasshopper."
"The groove-billed ani is a familiar sight on fence lines in southern Texas pastures."
"Several pairs of greater anis built a single bulky nest deep in the marsh vegetation."
Standard English plural, formed regularly with -s.
"Groove-billed anis breed communally across much of Central America."
The ani doesn't just share a nest — up to five pairs lay their eggs in one communal nest and take turns incubating the whole lot.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of ani
The word "ani" entered English in the early 19th century from Tupi, an indigenous language family of Brazil, where the name was applied to the bird by local peoples before European naturalists adopted it into scientific nomenclature. It belongs to the same wave of New World borrowings that gave English words such as "jaguar" and "tapir", both likewise drawn from Tupi-Guarani languages.
How ani is actually used
"Ani" is used almost exclusively in ornithological contexts. The plural is "anis". It should not be confused with the Hawaiian name Ani or with "anion" in chemistry.
Easily confused with ani
An anion is a negatively charged ion in chemistry, whereas an ani is a tropical bird of the cuckoo family.