Black Skimmer

Rynchops nigerOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)

Codes: Common Name: BLSK Scientific Name: RYNNIG ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176963

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Black Skimmer

Black Skimmer: Odd-looking, tern-like bird with black upperparts and white underparts. Bright red bill with black tip, lower mandible longer than upper. Long, slim wings are dark above and silver-gray below. Tail is white with black central feathers. Legs, feet are red. Direct flight.

● Song: "kak-kak-kak", "kur-kur-kur"

● Foraging & Feeding: Black Skimmer: Feeds on fish and shrimp. Forages by flying low with open bill, dipping the lower mandible into the water and slicing through the surface; upon sensing a fish, the bird snaps its upper bill shut, seizing its prey.

● Breeding & nesting: Black Skimmer: Four to five blue or pink eggs with brown, lavender, and gray marks are laid in a simple scrape on the ground or depression in vegetation. Incubation ranges from 21 to 23 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Black Skimmer: None in range.

Flight Pattern

Buoyant graceful flight with nearly constant wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Black Skimmer: Breeds along Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Massachusetts and Long Island to Florida and Texas. Spends winters north to southern California and Virginia; also in Central and South America. Preferred habitats include sandy or gravelly bars and beaches, shallow bays, estuaries, and salt marsh pools.

^BreedingMonogamous, Small colonies

^Population

^MigrationSome migrate

^Weight12.3 Ounces

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Black Skimmer

Black Skimmer

Flight Pattern