The black skimmer is an incredible tern species regularly found on the Ten Thousand Islands NWR- the sister refuge to Florida Panther NWR! Black skimmers are the only species of bird with the lower portion of their bill longer than the upper, and get their name from their feeding method of choice- skimming through the water and snapping their bill shut once they make contact with a fish. Skimmers nest along sandy beaches and lay their eggs in small depressions they dig in the sand. Once the chicks are hatched, the parents defend their brood vigorously and bring back regular fish meals throughout the day to their altricial young. Even though the beak of a black skimmer appears quite thick from a side view, they are in fact razor thin from head on and cut through the water with little resistance. Take a look at these photos by Friends volunteer, Molly, to see just how razor thin the beak of a black skimmer can be!
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 22:27:22 +0000
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