Skimmers are a natural wonder of grace, speed, and agility. Catching small fish in their beaks mid-flight has earned these acrobats their descriptive name. Patient fishermen are often rewarded with the sight of these swift creatures swooping down and "skimming" the water with open beak as they scoop live fish from the water's surface.

Origin

Skimmers are found all throughout North and South America, Africa, and in India. The only species to occupy North America is the Black Skimmer which can often be found nesting with seagulls and terns. This is one of the few bird species to cover such a large area of the globe while remaining so similar in appearance among its own species.

There are three main types of skimmers. The first is the Black Skimmer of North and South America. This bird has an orange beak with a black tip and almost appears to be wearing a black overcoat on top of a white downy body. The African Skimmer looks much the same but with a yellow tip on an orange beak. The Indian Skimmer looks most like the African Skimmer but with a white collar throughout most of the year. The Indian Skimmer has the smallest population with only about 10,000 birds still in existence.

No matter where you find a skimmer, it always stays near the water's edge.

Features

The most obvious feature of this unique bird is a beak that gives skimmers the ability to catch fish in such an unusual way. The skimmer hunts by touch and not by sight. It can actually "feel out" food as it glides with extended lower mandible.

In order to see better, the skimmer has pupils designed to adjust to the elements. Their eyes are built vertical with pupils that will shrink into tiny slits in the presence of harsh light. This protects the eyes from damage due to the water's glare or reflections on sandy beaches.

Reproduction

A skimmer will lay 3 to 5 eggs at a time in a range of colors from off-white to gray-blue. They breed in colonies for safety and nest in the warmth of sandy beaches. Parents work together to raise their young as a team effort. In just over three weeks the eggs will finally hatch. This is when the real work begins. The young must be fed by mouth until their own beaks fully form to accommodate whole fish. This won't happen until they're nearly full-grown.

It is no wonder that these beautiful birds are a favorite subject for nature photographers. Many a professional has profited from a single well-time snapshot of a Skimmer catching a tasty morsel from the water. With recent conservation efforts, it is likely that we will continue to enjoy the spectacle of their acrobatics for years to come.

Learn more about this author, Lauren Von Lehe.
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