Rynchops albicollis
The Indian Skimmer, Rynchops albicollis, is an unequivocally distinctive and elegant waterbird, recognized immediately by its unique bill structure. Averaging 40-43 cm (16-17 inches) in length with a wingspan of approximately 108 cm (43 inches), it boasts a striking plumage of glossy black upperparts contrasting sharply with pristine white underparts. Its most defining field mark is the extraordinary bright orange-red bill, laterally compressed and black-tipped, with the lower mandible notice...
Found primarily along large, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons, it relies on open sandy beaches and islands for nesting and roosting, typically at low elevations.
Their diet consists almost exclusively of small fish, up to 10-15 cm in length, which they catch by skimming the water surface with their uniquely adapted bill.
Indian Skimmers are highly gregarious birds, forming large colonies for nesting and roosting, often alongside terns and gulls. Their daily activity is largely diurnal, but they frequently engage in crepuscular and nocturnal foraging, especially during moonlit nights. The most remarkable behavior ...
The historical range of the Indian Skimmer encompassed much of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, from Pakistan and Nepal east through India and Bangladesh to Myanmar, with wintering populations sometimes reaching further south. Today, its breeding range is severely fragmented a...
Critically Endangered
- The Indian Skimmer is one of only three skimmer species globally, each found on a different continent. - Its unique bill, with the longer lower mandible, is the only one of its kind in the avian world, perfectly evolved for its specialized foraging. - Skimmers can close their bills with incredi...