Today is Sunday, and we shall therefore have a themed batch of bird photos from John Avise. His notes and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge the pictures by clicking on them.
Skimmers Skimming
I think that Skimmers (in the family Laridae) are the only birds in the world in which the lower mandible is appreciably longer than the upper mandible. And the birds use this peculiar culinary device in their unique hunting process for small fish. As their name hints, Skimmers fly low back-and-forth across a body of water, cutting its surface with their lower mandible until they hit a fish, whereupon the bill snaps upward to snatch the food. Furthermore, if the bird accidentally hits a hard submerged obstacle during this fishing process, the Skimmer’s fast reflexes quickly tilt the head downward and back so that the bill is not broken. This week’s photos show the strange anatomy and feeding behavior of the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger), North America’s only native Skimmer.
Adult standing:
Adult in flight:
Juvenile:
Head portrait from the side: [JAC: notice how high the eyes are on the head, surely another adaptation for skim-feeding.]
Head-on view showing razor-thin bill:
Head-on view in flight:
Flock on land:
Flock, side view:
Skim fishing:
Adult showing junior how to skim:
More skim-fishing:
Bird with his reflection:
Leaving a long cut in the water:
Accidentally startling a big fish:
Tucking head back to avoid an obstacle:
A successful catch:
Fascinating – and wonderful photos, as always. With their stubby little legs and mismatched razor-thin bill the Black Skimmer is an odd looking bird!
I never realized how narrow the Skimmer’s bill was. Of course, it would have to be thin to reduce water resistance. A narrow bill would also likely stun or break the backs of fish prey, making a struggle and escape less likely.
Excellent series. They are such weird birds!
That encounter with the big fish was a literal LOL. But I have to admit that I was completely unaware of Skimmers till just now (yet not surprised by their existence and bill adaptation for that purpose).
As a European, I sit in awe at all the new world species I discover on WEIT that I had never seen or heard of before. Wonderful pics.
Incredible post!
Very cool photo sequence, thanks!
Ace skimming shots! Thanks.
Wow! How cool are those guys? Look at ’em – and all dressed up.
Great photos though this goes for MANY contributors also – please don’t forget to tell us approximately WHERE the pics were taken.
D.A.
NYC
These pictures were taken in Southern California.