adult male in breeding plumage, with fish (California, USA; 2009-06-28)


Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger

Native Range: North America and Latin America

Notes: the only bird species in which the lower mandible is substantially longer than the upper; feeds by skimming the water surface with its lower mandible and scooping up small fish or other food items its bill encounters; male's lower mandible is even longer than female's; a highly gregarious and unmistakable bird.

adult female in breeding plumage (Florida, USA; 2009-06-14)
nonbreeding bird, as told by the white collar (California, USA; 2007-12-21)

nonbreeding plumage (Florida, USA; 2006-04-30)
juvenile (California, USA; 2006-04-30)
breeding-plumage male, skimming (California, USA; 2009-06-14) flock (California, USA; 2006-09-30)
note razor-sharp bill (California, USA; 2006-09-30) adult (right) and juvenile (left), skimming (California, USA; 2006-09-30)
flock (California, USA; 2006-02-02) remarkable bill (California, USA; 2007-12-21)