Pl. CII
The Birds · Plate CII
Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
Laridae · Taxon 4496
| Length | 40–50 cm (15.8–19.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 109–115 cm (42.9–45.3 in) |
| Weight | 265–365 g (9.3–12.9 oz) |
Field marks
- Long, blade-thin red-orange and black bill, with the lower mandible projecting well beyond the upper
- Jet-black cap and upperparts sharply contrasting with a white forehead, neck, and underparts
- Very long, pointed wings and sleek, low-slung tern-like proportions
- Short red-orange legs with webbed feet
- Dark eye set inconspicuously in the black cap, with a narrow vertical pupil
- Short, shallowly notched tail
HabitatOpen sandy beaches, islands, shell or gravel bars, mudflats, estuaries, lagoons, sheltered bays, coastal marshes, and broad rivers or large inland lakes. Nesting sites are sparsely vegetated open ground near productive shallow water.
BehaviorSocial and colonial; rests and nests in flocks on open ground. Forages by flying low over calm water with the elongated lower mandible slicing the surface, snapping the bill shut when it contacts a small fish. Active by day and often at dusk or night; calls are short, barking notes.
Palette
jet blackclean whitered-orangecharcoal gray