Crotophaga sulcirostris sulcirostris
Status: Rare casual fall visitor central and east.
Documentation: Photograph: 15 Oct-1 Nov 1975 Hall Co (Stoppkotte 1975).
Taxonomy: Two subspecies are sometimes recognized although Clements et al (2016) and Gill and Donsker 2017) consider the species monotypic. The subspecies pallidula is only a vagrant to the southwest USA, but subspecies sulcirostris, which is resident in south Texas, has a history of northward vagrancy (Pyle 1997). It is listed as occurring in Kansas (Johnston 1965) and Nebraska (Rapp et al 1958).
Fall: There are four documented Nebraska reports, three with photographs and one by description. Dated reports are in the period 22 Sep-1 Nov.
late Sep-4 Oct 1952 Elgin, Antelope Co (Baumgarten and Rapp 1953)
22 Sep 1985 Beaver Lake, Cass Co (Kiser 1985; Mollhoff 1987)
10 Oct 2023 Pony Lake, Valentine NWR, Cherry Co (Kayla Sconyers, Juancarlos Giese; Brogie 2024)
15 Oct-1 Nov 1975 Grand Island, Hall Co (cited above).
A minimal description was published of one near West Point, Cuming Co 2 Oct 1976 (Einemann 1977).
Comments: This species has a propensity to disperse northward during Sep-Nov in most years from its usual Texas and Louisiana range, although there are few records on the Great Plains north of Oklahoma. The overwhelming majority (10) of the 14 records from Nebraska and adjacent states occurred during 1950-1987, with a notable peak in the late 1970s (eBird.org, accessed Oct 2023; Thompson et al 2011, Andrews and Righter 1992, Tallman et al 2002). Since a 1992 Kansas record, the only records from those same states are for 2004 in Iowa, 2019 in Colorado, and the 2023 Nebraska record, although one was in North Dakota Nov 2021, northernmost on the Great Plains (eBird.org, accessed Oct 2023).
Images
Literature Cited
Andrews, R., and R. Righter. 1992. Colorado birds. Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, Colorado, USA.
Baumgarten, H.E., and W.F. Rapp Jr. 1953. Two new birds added to the Nebraska list. NBR 21: 2-3.
Brogie, M.A. 2024. 2023 (35th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 92: 132-138.
Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, accessed 30 January 2018.
Gill, F., and D. Donsker (Eds). 2017. IOC World Bird List (v 7.3), accessed 30 January 2018.
Einemann, L.L. 1977. A Groove-billed Ani and other birds in Cuming and Dodge Counties. NBR 45: 13-14.
Kiser, M. 1985. Groove-billed Ani. NBR 53: 78-79.
Mollhoff, W.J. 1987. First report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 55: 79-85.
Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I, Columbidae to Ploceidae. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California, USA.
Rapp, W.F. Jr., J.L.C. Rapp, H.E. Baumgarten, and R.A. Moser. 1958. Revised checklist of Nebraska birds. Occasional Papers 5, Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union. Crete, Nebraska, USA.
Stoppkotte, G.W. 1975. A Groove-billed Ani seen again in Nebraska. NBR 44: 79-80.
Tallman, D.A., Swanson, D.L., and J.S. Palmer. 2002. Birds of South Dakota. Midstates/Quality Quick Print, Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA.
Thompson, M.C., C.A. Ely, B. Gress, C. Otte, S.T. Patti, D. Seibel, and E.A. Young. 2011. Birds of Kansas. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2025. Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 14 Mar 2025