Farmers introduced this bird to control ticks; El Nino spread it across Galapagos

A group of three smooth-billed anis in Galapagos. Image Credit: Michael Dvorak/ Galapagos Conservation Trust The smooth-billed ani was brought to the Galapagos Islands in the 1960s in an attempt to tackle a cattle tick problem that had caused serious losses for local farmers. The black bird was known to feed on ticks in mainland South America, making it seem like a practical solution. However, the introduction had consequences that extended far beyond cattle farming. As described by the Galapagos Conservation Trust, the birds spread across most of the major islands, eventually reaching an estimated population of 250,000 and raising concerns about the survival of native wildlife.The smooth-billed ani spread across the Galapagos IslandsThe original introduction was intended to solve an agricultural problem, but the birds did not follow the outcome farmers had hoped for. The 1990 study published in Biological Conservation, explains how the population changed after the birds arrived.According to the study, smooth-billed anis first appeared in the early 1960s but were not reported again until the late 1970s. Their numbers then increased rapidly following the heavy rainfall associated wi...