A Black Skimmer feeding in the thin film of swash on northern Anna Maria Island.
Posted by David McRee at BlogTheBeach.com
The black skimmer (Rhynchops niger) is a strange and beautiful bird present year-round on Florida beaches. It has a unique method of catching fish–it flies along parallel to the shore with its lower bill skimming the thin film of water (called the “swash”) left by the surging waves. When it touches a small fish, the skimmer snaps it up quickly in a feat of unrivaled aeronautical dexterity.
Black skimmer "skimming" the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.
Above is a better look at the skimmer in action. The water is only 2 inches deep or less. Below is a look at the skimmers bill. Notice how much longer the lower mandible is than the upper. Perfect adaptation for its unique feeding method.
The black skimmer has an unusual bill. The lower mandible is significantly longer than the upper.
Black skimmers resting on the beach on northern Anna Maria Island.
Northern Anna Maria Island is a favorite resting place for black skimmers and terns. Unfortunately many people do not respect the fact that birds need to rest to conserve energy after a long day of feeding. I saw people ignorantly chasing the birds for sport. Most were teenagers. This is why education is so important and why the education needs to start in elementary school and continue through high school.
It also underscores the need for beach signage and for the presence of shorebird volunteers to hand out literature and engage in a public relations campaign on behalf of the birds. We’ve got to share the beach.
Skimmers often rest by laying forward with their head on the ground.
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America says this about the nimbly graceful flight of the black skimmer: “Executes hairpin turns and smooth banks while foraging; flock wheels in unison.”
Walking on the beach after dark you will often see black skimmers feeding, especially when the moon is bright.
I’ll leave you with this photo:
Black skimmer in flight.
Marge Bell at SpaceCoastBeachBuzz.com has a great blog post about some black skimmers nesting on Cocoa Beach and efforts made to protect the birds. If I know Marge, she’ll keep following up on this post until the baby skimmers hatch, so stay tuned…
