Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)

Locally common along the eastern US coast and the southern California coast, Black Skimmers are the only North American bird species whose lower bill is much larger and longer than the upper bill.
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Collier Co., FL
1 Jan 2009

Sharing the beach with a Laughing Gull head (left rear) and Ring-billed Gull head (left front).

Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) Collier Co., FL
8 Oct 2006
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)

Two adult Black Skimmers with one immature skimmer and a Laughing Gull.

Collier Co., NC
8 Oct 2006
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)

Black Skimmer (back) with a Royal Tern in the front. These birds are amazingly "tame" or habituated to people on the beaches at Marco Island, as I walked right up to them and took this photo at only about 3X zoom from about 8 feet away. Tigertail Beach County Park on Marco Island in Collier Co., FL; 2 Jan 2004

Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Collier Co., FL
22 Dec 2014

With a couple Royal Terns and a Sandwich Tern

Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Collier Co., FL
22 Dec 2014
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Collier Co., FL
22 Dec 2014
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Bolivar Flats, Galveston Co., TX
15 Jan 2018
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Bolivar Flats, Galveston Co., TX
15 Jan 2018
Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger)
Collier Co., FL
29 Dec 2010

With Royal Terns and Sanderlings

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Created on ... January 24, 2004 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com