The (Smooth-billed) Ani Crotophaga ani LINNAEUS 1758, and its subsequent relatives ... (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Here's a loooong question (and bear with me, be patient, please, it's a somewhat winding road, with several twists and turns) regarding the origin of both the Scientific and Common name ani , resp. Ani, as of/in ...

• the Smooth-billed Ani [earlier also known as (nothing but) Ani] Crotophaga ani LINNAEUS 1758 (here), as "[CROTOPHAGA] Ani", with several references back to some (pre-linnaean/pre-1758) works, of which the most important ones (in this particular case) ought to be; "Ani. Marcg. bra∫. 193. Will. orn. 120. Raj. av. 35. n. 10 & 185. n. 29. ..."

As far as I can tell, those first three references are:

• "Marcg. bra∫. 193" [i.e. G. Marcgraf [alt. Marcrave, Marggraf, Markgraf], 1648. Georgi Marcgravi (...) historiæ rervm natvarlivm Brasiliæ ...] = here (all in Latin).​

• "Will. orn. 120." [i.e. F. Willughby, J. Raius & E. Willughby. 1676. Ornithologiæ libri tres: ... ] = here (all in Latin).​

• "Raj. av. 35. n. 10 & 185. n. 29." [i.e. J. Ray. 1713. Synopsis methodica avium ... ] = here & here (all in Latin).​

The other three ('Caribbean') references (which Linnaeus didn't directly linked/connected to the "Ani" name itself) was/is:

• "Brown. jam. 474." [i.e. P. Browne, 1756. The civil and natural history of Jamaica.] = here (in English).​

• "Sloan. jam. 2. p. 298. t. 256. f. 1." [i.e. H. Sloane. 1725. A voyage to the islands Madera, Barbadoes, Nieves, St Christophers, and Jamaica; ..., volume 2, p. (pagina/page) 298 & t. (tabula/plate) 256, f (figure) 1] = here (in English), & Plate here.​

• "Catesb. car. 3. p. 3. t. 3." [i.e. M. Catesby. 1731. The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama islands: ... (part/vol. 3, pagina/page 3, tabula/plate 3) Note; the Original Edition unseen (by me), however see here (in G. Edwards's Edition, of 1771, there bound in vol. 2), in English, with the Plate here.​

Well, that's the OD itself.

In today's Key to Scientific Names this name is explained as:

ani
Tupí name Anim social (bird), for the ani (cf. Wayāpi name Anu; Güaraní name Anó ("NÚM. CCLXIII. DEL ANNÓ. No creo pase de los 28 grados para el sur; pero abunda lo que el anterior en el Paraguay, donde le llaman Annó por excelencia, y porque su voz fuerte y desagradable suena á algunos annó, y á mi oooí, ó aaaí." (de Azara 1805))); "47. CROTOPHAGA. ... Ani. 1. CROTOPHAGA. Crotophagus ater, rostro breviore compresso arcuato-cultrato. Brown. jam. 474. Monedula tota nigra major garrula, mandibula superiore arcuata. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 298. t. 256. f. 1. Catesb. car. 3. p. 3. t. 3. Ani. Marcgr. bras. 193. Will. orn. 120. Raj. av. 35. n. 10. & 185. n. 29. Habitat in America, Africa; victitans gryllis." (Linnaeus 1758) (Crotophaga).

Helped by Google translate:

ani
Tupí name Anim social (bird), for the ani (cf. Wayāpi name Anu; Güaraní name Anó "(NO. CCLXIII. DEL ANNO. I don't think it goes over 28 degrees to the south; but the former abounds in Paraguay, where they call him Annó par excellence, and because his strong and disagreeable voice sounds like annó to some, and to me oooí, or aaaí. "(from Azara 1805))); ... [a lot of brackets there, James! ]

Which is slightly contradicted (at least the very first part of the Key's explanation), compared to what's told in the (Spanish) Book Etimología de los nombres científicos de las aves de Argentina, from 2019 (*), by Alejandro Mouchard, where we find the following explanation:

353. Crotophaga ani Linnaeus, 1758 – Anó chicoani:
Nombre tupí de origen onomatopéyico. Linné – Crotophaga ani – refiere a Ani brasiliensibus, de Marcgrave (1648). Al respecto dice Azara (1992) que “le llaman Annó por excelencia, y porque su voz fuerte y desagradable suena a algunos annó, y a mí oooí, o aaaí”.

Google translate:

...
ani: Tupi name of onomatopoeic origin. Linnaeus – Crotophaga ani – refers to Ani brasiliensibus, by Marcgrave (1648). In this regard Azara (1992) says that "they call him Annó par excellence, and because his strong and unpleasant voice sounds to some annó, and to me oooí, or aaaí".

Which makes we wonder of the very Origin of the claim that the "Tupí" name "Anim" (as it's written in today's Key) truly meant "social (bird"). Who stated it as such? Did Marcgraf (in 1648), or any of the other earlier Authors, say anything about this characteristic, or distinctive feature (in his/their Latin text/s) ... ?

Or is it simply an onomatopoeia?

– to be continued –​

---

*Mouchard, A. 2019 Etimología de los nombres científicos de las aves de Argentina : su significado y origen. 1 Edition. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires : Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara, pp. 1–389.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Either way, just to make things a bit more complicated (as if that was needed!?!), if we look into A Dictionary of Birds, by Newton & Gadow (1896), the Common/Vernacular name was/is explained as:

ANI, according to Marcgrave (Hist. Rer. Nat. Brasiliæ. 1 , p. 193), the Brazilian name of what is the Crotophaga major of modern ornithologists, who have ignorantly misapplied Linnaeus’s designation, C. ani, to its smaller congener, an inhabitant of the Antilles and part of the Spanish Main. This latter is known to most of the English-speaking people of the West Indies as the Black Witch or Savanna Blackbird. The genus Crotophaga is one of the most remarkable forms of the Cuculidæ (CUCKOW) of the New World.

[here]​

Which leads us to the next question/level:
Did Linnaeus, and "modern ornithologists" misplace the ani name upon the proper species (of today) ... ?!?

The two species involved in the latter quote, by Newton & Gadow, ought to be today's Greater Ani Crotophaga major GMELIN 1788, and the Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani LINNAEUS 1758 (as of above). Listen to their sounds; here resp. here.

To me, by the recordings alone (as of above, as well as similar sounds on Xeno-canto), I think it's the larger species who have a sound more likely to have been described with the Spanish word "desagradable" (disagreeable?), with its far harsher notes, and all.

Or?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Also note that in Gmelin's Systema naturæ, 1788, (i.e. a revised, expanded edition of Linnaeus's original Work), where the Greater Ani Crotophaga major (here) got its name, Gmelin clearly refer to Latham's "Greater Ani" (here), while Linnaeus's (Smooth-billed) "Ani" itself had Latham's "Lesser Ani" (here, depicted on Pl.13, here) added to its lists of references.

As well, simply for clarity's sake, in the same Work Gmelin also added a third Ani, the "Walking Ani", from Surinam/o, to the List of Anis, equally based on Latham 1781 (see p.363), i.e. Linnaeus's "Crotophaga ambulatoria" (from 1766), which today ought to be a synonym of (the today monotypic/nominate ssp.) Crotophaga (a.) ani.

However, this far, if we're to trust Félix de Azara himself, and what he noted [when he was patrolling/defending/ mapping/determining the Paraguayan/Brazilian border, in 1781–1801], and I see no reason why we shouldn't, it seems like the name ani/Ani indeed ought to have been onamatopoetic. And that it originally ought to have belonged to the larger species.

Anyone who disagree?

As the text by Félix de Azara clearly seems relevant (quoted by both Jobling and Mouchard) his (Spanish) contribution to this topic (from 1805), vol. 2. pp.344–347) = here (alt. here), in full, starting with:

NÚM [NÚMERO/Number]. CCLXIII.
DEL ANNÓ.​

No creo pase de los 28 grados para el sur; pero abunda lo que el anterior en el Paraguay, done le llaman Annó por excelencia, y porque su voz fuerte y desagradable suena á algunos annó, y á mi oooí, ó aaaí.
Construye su nido plano de palitos y vejuquillos flexîbles, poniéndole colchon de hojas como las des naranjo. ...

Of course, neither Linnaeus, nor (J. F.) Gmelin could have known of this text/possibility, alt. explanation (not in 1758, resp. 1788), simply as Félix de Azara's writings wasn't published until 1805 (and why Mouchard referred to it as "1992" is unknown to me).

Either way, did Azara (in this/his text) say anything about if Del Annó was a more sociable Bird than other dittos? Or not? And, if so, in what way? Among themselves or towards Humans? Also note that he didn't call it Del An(n)i ... ?

Can we tell, for sure, from Azara's text alone, if this local name (whatever it might have been) was expressed by the locals, or by the birds themselves?

And, I simply have to ask (as I have a hard time trusting Google translate); is the Spanish "por excelencia" (used by Mouchard, above, in post #1) equal, without doubt, to the English phrase "par excellence" (in express terms)?


All in all: is/was the original name "Ani" an onomatopoeia, or did it have an alternate meaning? And of what bird, of today's species, did it truly origin?

Anyone who knows, or have understood?

Grateful for all the help I can get on this one!

To me, this far, it looks like a name originally intended/used for the larger species, thereafter (simply by mistake, or by fatal blunder?) applied to the smaller one. Or?

Sorry if I've been a bit hard to follow in this thread. It's a confusing case, with multiple layers and languages (most of which I doesn't understand). Hopefully it all makes sense (to some, at least someone) ...

Either way, thanks for your patience (if you got this far)

Björn

PS. "The Tupí Anum, which gave rise to the English substantive 'Ani' for Crotophaga," with ("various suggested etymologies") was also, earlier (back in 2013) mentioned in the old thread Anumara forbesi (P. Sclater, 1886), here.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Equally important to remember, about the indigenous languages involved (mentioned in the Key's explanation), as far as I can tell they are:

• Tupí (Tupi) a today extinct language, earlier spoken among the Tupí (Tupi) people of Brazil (at the time mostly in the South and Southeastern parts of the Country)

• Wayāpi (Wayampi) is still spoken, in Northeastern South America (mainly in the South-Eastern border area of French Guiana).

• (Tupí-)Güaraní (contains several languages, and dialects, incl. Wayāpi), still today spoken in large parts of South America. One of the national languages (together with Spanish) in Paraguay.

Well, that's it. That's all.

Can anyone (please) explain any of the many (maybe too many) questions above?



/B

 

[l_raty]

Although I deeply respect Newton's opinions in general, it seems to me that he erred in this case.

• The only species that produces calls that I might be inclined to transcribe as 'Ani' is Smooth-billed. Azara's transcription, 'oooí' or 'aaaí' with a strong accent on the final 'í', would also be fine for this species. Marcgrave's rendering 'yiiiiy' is a bit harder to interpret, but could be construed as OK as well I think. I have a hard time making any of these two transcriptions match a call of Greater.
• Marcgrave gave the length of the tail of his bird : "Caudam longam erectam habet, sex digitos longam", i.e., "It has a long raised tail, 6 inches long". This is about 15 cm, and could only match one of the smaller species (for which it would even be on the lower side, actually). The tail of Greater Ani is much longer than this : 235-277 mm fide Ridgway 1916; 252-282 mm fide Payne 2005.
• The Jamaican / Floridan references also cited by Linnaeus can also only concern Smooth-billed, as this is the only species to occur in these areas. (Newton probably discarded these in his interpretation, because they were not the source of the name adopted by Linnaeus.)

In Azara's work, the Greater Ani is the next species ("Núm. CCLXIV. Del annó-güazu.").

 

[Xenospiza]

The Smooth-billed Ani is also a typical bird of human habitation, unlike the annó-güazu (güazu is one of the few Tupi words I know).
It is very sociable, even breeding cooperatively.
Many of the bird names will come from Lingua Geral (simplified Tupi), a descendant of which (Nheengatu) is still spoken in northern Amazonia.

 

[James Jobling]

Rodolpho Garcia, 1929, Nomes de Aves em lingua Tupi, Boletim Museu Nacional Rio de Janeiro, V (3), pp. 11-12 (under Crotophaga ani, Linn.), because of the birds' sociable behaviour and colonial nesting, favours the second of these three alternative solutions to the name ani;
1. onomatopoeia.
2. anu = ani social (per Baptista Caetano de Almeida Nogueira, 1879, Vocabulario das palavras guaranis usadas pelo traductor da Conquista Espiritual, Annaes da Bibliotheca Nacional, VII.,
3. anã = relative, very; suffix -úm black (per Antonio Joaquim de Macedo Soares, 1889, Diccionario brasileiro da lingua portugueza, pt. A—C.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Excellent answers, thanks guys!

Anyone else with a different view of the matter?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Apparently hard to let go of this one ...

Thus, one more question; was/is Félix de Azara [in his Apuntamientos para la historia natural de los páxaros del Paragüay y Rio de la Plata, (1802–1805)], possibly adding something (about the name itself, that is) in the Chapter Caractéres Generales DE LOS PIRIRIGÜA Y ANNOS [in Vol. 2], here see pp. 335–340 (alt. scans No. 353–359) ... ?

It's all in Spanish, and, as such, incomprehensible to me.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

...
Anyone else with a different view of the matter?

Ok, a couple of days has gone by, and this far no additional response (but, even more important, no loud protests, nor any other objections), thus, I will have to assume (and hope?) that nothing was added in the second text, by Félix de Azara himself (as of the inquiry in post #9) ... , either way, fair enough, that'll do.

It's sufficient enough, as of right now I (hopefully) have all the info I need, regarding the ani/Ani name.

At least I think so, I'll simply keep the explanation a bit vague (and slightly tripartite). We'll see ...

Either way; guys, thanks for the Great help! 🎖️

/B

 

[l_raty]

I will have to assume (and hope?) that nothing was added in the second text, by Félix de Azara himself (as of the inquiry in post #9)

The last paragraph is the only one that addresses names, where Azara discussed Buffon's writings. It says :

Buffon compone una familia de los dos Annós, y pone al Peririgüá entre sous Coucous. Para esta separacion tiene el fundamento de la hechura singular del pico de los primeros; pero como, según veremos, no es tan constante, que no varie alguna vez; y ademas el Piririgüá se parece á los Annós en todas las formas y costumbres, tengo por mas prudente unir á los tres en una familia: y quando esto no gustase, sería preciso poner solo ó aislado al Piririgüá, porque dista mucho en las formas y costumbres de los Coucous de Buffon, como puede verse comparando sus descripciones. Los caractéres generales con que el autor da á conocer á los Annós se reducen á una descripcion de su pico, que no acomoda bien á ámbas especies; y á decir que de su base se levantan plumitas, tiesas como cerdas, largas 6 lineas y derechas adelante. Les denomina Anís alterando algo el nombre, porque dice les llaman así los naturales del Brasil. Añade que Dutertre y Brisson les dan el nombre de Bout de petun ou Bout de Tabac, y gradúa con razon de ridículo tal nombre. Dicho Dutertre asegura, que su voz dice Bout de petun; pero no hay tal, y le reprehende justamente mi Autor: quien tambien ignoró que las dos especies tienen muy diferente canto, y que la llamada en Cayena Bouilleur de Canarie, porque remeda al ruido del agua hirbiendo en la marmita, es el Annógüazú y no el otro. Por último dice que tambien les han dado el nombre de Diablos sin fundamento; pero tampoco le hay para que mi Autor les denomine Ani des Savanes, y Ani de Paletuviers, suponiendo que aquel habita únicamente las sábanas ó campos, y éste las orillas del mar y lagunas saladas; porque todo es falso, segun se ha dicho.

Tentatively -

Buffon makes a family of the two Annós, and places the Peririgüá [sic] among his Coucous. He gives as basis for this this separation the singular shape of the beak of the first; but since, as we will see, this is not so constant that it does not sometimes vary; and in addition the Piririgüá resembles the Annós in all shape and habits, I consider it more prudent to unite the three in a family: and when this is not liked, it would be necessary to place the Piririgüá alone or isolated, because it is very different in shape and habits from the Coucous of Buffon, as can be seen by comparing their descriptions. The general characters with which the author makes the Annós known are limited to a description of their beak, which does not suit both species well; and a statement that small feathers raise from its base, stiff as bristles, 6-lines long and straight forward. He calls them Anís, altering the name somewhat, because he says that is what the natives of Brazil call them. He adds that Dutertre and Brisson give them the name Bout de petun ou Bout de Tabac, and rightly considers this name ridiculous. Said Dutertre assures that their voice says Bout de petun; but it is not so, and my Author correctly rebukes it: who also ignored that the two species have very different songs, and that the one called in Cayenne Bouilleur de Canarie, because it imitates the noise of water boiling in the kettle, is the Annógüazú and not the other. Lastly, he says that they have also been given the name Diablos without basis; but there is also no reason for my Author to call them Ani des Savanes, and Ani de Paletuviers, assuming that the former inhabits only savannas or the countryside, and the latter seashores and salt lagoons; because this is all false, as has been said.​

(Azara's Piririgüa/Peririgüa is Guira guira.)
(Interestingly, in his French translation of this work, Sonnini basically censored this paragraph -- he did not translate it, but added a footnote saying that Azara contradicted Buffon about the natural history of the two Anis, but that these birds were so common and well known in French colonies, that no one could possibly be unaware that Buffon had described them well.)

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thanks Laurent, you're a Gem! 🏆

Now I most certainly have what I need for the ani/Ani name.

Cheers!

Björn

 

[fcstraube]

Equally important to remember, about the indigenous languages involved (mentioned in the Key's explanation), as far as I can tell they are:

• Tupí (Tupi) a today extinct language, earlier spoken among the Tupí (Tupi) people of Brazil (at the time mostly in the South and Southeastern parts of the Country)

• Wayāpi (Wayampi) is still spoken, in Northeastern South America (mainly in the South-Eastern border area of French Guiana).

• (Tupí-)Güaraní (contains several languages, and dialects, incl. Wayāpi), still today spoken in large parts of South America. One of the national languages (together with Spanish) in Paraguay.

Well, that's it. That's all.

Can anyone (please) explain any of the many (maybe too many) questions above?



/B

Tupi is a linguistic trunk with several families, and each linguistic family with several languages (and dialects). One of the subdivisions of Tupi trunk is Tupi Antigo (Old Tupi) that was the language used by Marcgrave. Guarani (still used in Paraguay and some adjacent places of Bolivia, Brazil and Argentina) is another language. They are close related languages but have many differences (perhaps Tupi Antigo and Guarani are more or less as Portuguese and Spanish).

"Ani" (Marcgrave) is a mispelling. The name used in Northeast Brazil is "anum" (last syllable nasal); in most Brazil is called "anu". Its name in guarany is "anó".