0 the groove-billed ani , crotophaga sulcirostris , is an odd-looking tropical bird in the  cuckoo family with a long tail and a large , curved beak .
1  it is a resident species throughout most of its range , from southern texas and central mexico through central america , to northern colombia and venezuela , and coastal ecuador and peru .
2  it only retreats from the northern limits of its range in texas and northern mexico during winter .
3 the groove-billed ani is about {convert|34|cm|in} long , and weighs {convert|70|-|90|g|oz} .
4  it is completely black , with a very long tail almost as long as its body .
5  it has a huge bill with horizontal grooves along the length of the upper mandible .
6  it is very similar to the smooth-billed ani , some of which have bills as small as the groove-billed and with grooves on the basal half .
7  the two species are best distinguished by voice and range .
8  in flight , the ani alternates between quick , choppy flaps and short glides .
9 like other anis , the groove-billed is found in open and partly open country , such as pastures , savanna , and orchards .
10  it feeds largely on a mixed diet of insects , seeds , and fruits .
11 the groove-billed ani lives in small groups of one to five breeding pairs .
12  they defend a single territory and lay their eggs in one communal nest .
13  all group members incubate the eggs and care for the young .
