# 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! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Black Skimmer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Black_Skimmer_Close_Flying.jpg&width=800) Photo: Terry Foote ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_Skimmer_Close_Flying.jpg) ## Appearance 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Rynchops ## Interesting facts - 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. ## Special abilities - **Underwater Blade:** Black Skimmer can hunt by flying with its lower bill slicing through the water's surface, helping them catch fish by touch. - **Precision Scooper:** Black Skimmer has a specialized lower mandible that is longer than the upper, helping them expertly scoop prey from the water. - **Night Vision Bill:** Black Skimmer can often feed at night because their keen sense of touch in their bill helps them find fish in the dark. - **Glare-Proof Eyes:** Black Skimmer has vertical, cat-like pupils that help them reduce glare and see clearly when hunting in bright sun. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-50 cm - **Wingspan:** 107-127 cm - **Weight:** 0.25-0.4 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-5 - **Incubation:** 21-25 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding Mostly small fish, caught by skimming their unique bill across the water! - **Primary Foods:** mullet, silversides, anchovies, shrimp - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Herring Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-herring-gull) (*Larus smithsonianus*) — Gulls prey on skimmer eggs and young chicks. - **Eaten by:** [American Crow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-crow) (*Corvus brachyrhynchos*) — Crows snatch eggs and small skimmer chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raccoons raid nests for eggs and chicks. - **Symbiotic with:** [Common Tern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-tern) (*Sterna hirundo*) — Often nests alongside terns for added colony protection. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch from a distance and don't disturb their nests on the beach. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Skimmer? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black Skimmer? 40-50 cm ### What is Black Skimmer's wingspan? 107-127 cm ### How much does Black Skimmer weigh? 0.25-0.4 kg ### How long does Black Skimmer live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Black Skimmer move? 50 km/h ### What does Black Skimmer eat? Mostly small fish, caught by skimming their unique bill across the water! ### Where is Black Skimmer usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Presidio Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/presidio-park) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Andree Clark Bird Refuge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/andree-clark-bird-refuge) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Cape May Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-may-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Fort De Soto Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-de-soto-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Henry Hudson Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/henry-hudson-trail) — New Jersey, US · Trail - [Kingsley Plantation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kingsley-plantation) — Florida, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Black Skimmer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-skimmer) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black Skimmer: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-skimmer)