Black Skimmer
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyLaridae
HabitatCoasts
RangeAmericas
Length45 cm
Wingspan120 cm
Weight350 g
DietCarnivore
About the Black Skimmer
The only bird with a lower mandible longer than the upper, slicing the water surface in flight to snag fish by touch. Pupils close to vertical slits that shield the eyes from glare. Feeds even at night when fish rise to the surface. Nests in noisy colonies on open sand.