Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger

The black skimmer is an elegant forager that flies low over the surface of the water feeling for fish.

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Black skimmer dips its lower bill into the water to catch a fish.
The black skimmer's lower bill is longer than its upper bill, which helps the bird scoop fish out of the water. (Photo courtesy of Juan Rodolfo Lillo Lobos/iNaturalist CC BY-NC, cropped and toned)

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Appearance

Black skimmers have wide wings that they use to fly across the surface of the water searching for food. Their bill is also long and the lower bill is longer than the upper bill by 2-3 centimeters, which helps them scoop fish from the water. They are black on top and white on the bottom and have small dark eyes.

Feeding

While flying low over the surface of the water, black skimmers dip their long lower bill into the water and feel for fish. They quickly snap their bill shut when contacting a fish. This “fish by feel” technique allows them to hunt in low-light conditions like dawn and dusk.

Predators

Mammals such as raccoons, crows, opossums and coyotes hunt for black skimmers.

Flight

Black skimmers use their long wings to fly just above the surface of the water while foraging. When flying together, flocks of black skimmers sometimes turn in unison and synchronize the beating of their wings.

Reproduction and life cycle

Mating pairs of black skimmers make their nests on the beach by digging a small hole in the sand. Females lay about four eggs per clutch and both males and females incubate the eggs. After hatching, juveniles have downy plumage. Adults will hunt for their young and feed them fish.

Nesting colonies are highly sensitive. If humans come too close to nests the adult birds will scatter which takes away from critical egg incubation time. Humans should follow signs that say how close they can come to nests.

Did you know?

  • Black skimmers are rare and have not been seen nesting on the Chesapeake Bay since 2020.

  • The bird is called a black skimmer because it skims along the surface of the water.

  • The black skimmer is the only kind of skimmer in Maryland.

Sources and additional information

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