EntdeckenVögel

Black Skimmer

Rynchops niger

The Black Skimmer is a unique bird known for its long, thin bill that helps it catch fish by skimming the water. With its striking black and white feathers, it looks very cool while flying over the beach!

Lebensraum: Coastal areas

Aussehen

The Black Skimmer has a striking black back and cap contrasting with a pristine white belly. Its most distinctive feature is a unique bright orange-red bill with a black tip, where the lower mandible is much longer than the upper, unlike any other bird.

ReichAnimaliaStammChordataKlasseAvesOrdnungCharadriiformesFamilieLaridaeGattungRynchops

Black Skimmer

Kategorie

Vögel

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Baby skimmers are born with equal-sized bills, which change as they grow.

Skimmers close their eyes just before their bill hits the water to protect them!

Their lower jaw is the only one in the bird world longer than the upper!

They sometimes use their long lower bill to 'plow' nest scrapes in the sand.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Black Skimmer can hunt by flying with its lower bill slicing through the water's surface, helping them catch fish by touch.

Black Skimmer has a specialized lower mandible that is longer than the upper, helping them expertly scoop prey from the water.

Black Skimmer can often feed at night because their keen sense of touch in their bill helps them find fish in the dark.

Black Skimmer has vertical, cat-like pupils that help them reduce glare and see clearly when hunting in bright sun.

Maße und Details

Länge: 40-50 cm
Flügelspannweite: 107-127 cm
Gewicht: 0.25-0.4 kg
Lebenserwartung: 10-20 Jahre
Top Speed: 50 km/h
Gelegegröße: 2-5
Brutzeit: 21-25 Tage
Zugstrecke: 5000 km

Ernährung und Fütterung

Mostly small fish, caught by skimming their unique bill across the water!

Hauptnahrung

mullet
silversides
anchovies
shrimp

Nahrungssuche

Pursuit

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Gulls prey on skimmer eggs and young chicks.

eaten by

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Crows snatch eggs and small skimmer chicks.

eaten by

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Raccoons raid nests for eggs and chicks.

symbiotic with

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

Often nests alongside terns for added colony protection.

Merkmale

Gefiedert

Gefiedert beschreibt Tiere, hauptsächlich Vögel, die ein Federkleid besitzen.

Sozial

Soziale Tiere leben in organisierten Gruppen und kooperieren, um ihr Überleben zu sichern, beispielsweise bei der Nahrungssuche, Verteidigung und Aufzucht der Jungen.

Fischfressend

Fischfressende Organismen sind Tiere, die sich hauptsächlich von Fisch ernähren.

Gleitflug

Gleitende Tiere bewegen sich durch die Luft, indem sie sich abstoßen und den Flug mit speziellen Körperstrukturen aufrechterhalten, ohne mit den Flügeln zu schlagen.