Rynchops niger
The Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) is an unequivocally distinctive seabird, instantly recognizable by its unique, blade-like bill. Measuring 40-50 cm (16-20 in) in length with a wingspan of 107-127 cm (42-50 in) and weighing 220-400 g (7.8-14.1 oz), adults sport striking black upperparts, a white forehead and underparts, and a prominent red-orange bill tipped with black. Its most remarkable feature, the disproportionately longer lower mandible, is a singular adaptation for its skim-feeding te...
Primarily found in coastal and estuarine environments, inhabiting sandy beaches, barrier islands, saltmarsh edges, lagoons, and exposed mudflats, typically at sea-level elevations.
The diet of the Black Skimmer consists almost exclusively of small fish, such as silversides, mullet, killifish, and anchovies, captured via their unique skim-feeding method across calm water surfaces.
Black Skimmers exhibit a fascinating suite of behaviors, largely centered around their specialized foraging. They are most active at dusk and dawn, though they will forage during the day, resting communally in large flocks on sandbars or beaches during peak heat. Their signature 'skim-feeding' in...
The Black Skimmer exhibits a broad distribution across the Americas, with three recognized subspecies. R. n. niger breeds along the Pacific coast from northern Baja California south to central Mexico and on the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts south to Argentina, and throughout the Caribbean. R....
Least Concern
- The Black Skimmer is the only bird in the world with a longer lower mandible than its upper mandible. - Their pupils are vertically elliptical, similar to a cat's, an adaptation for reducing glare and improving vision in low light during their crepuscular foraging. - Skimmers can close their bi...