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One
of the few birds in the world whose lower beak is longer
then its upper beak, the Black Skimmer can be found along
the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Massachusetts to Texas
and through Central and South America. It is a sea bird,
with a tendency to get most of its food from large (warm
if possible) bodies of water. The Black Skimmer’s
beak is relatively large, and is shaped so that it can
cut through the water to get at prey. This type of bird
likes to breed on islands, often with other birds like
Sea Gulls. A Black Skimmer’s young are brooded and
fed by both parents on regurgitated fish and crustaceans
dropped on the ground. Eventually chicks eat the whole
fish: chicks have normal looking beaks that eventually
take on their characteristic shape as they grow. Black
Skimmer’s are good parents and will defend their
nests, unlike other species that abandon their young to
their fate. Black Skimmer’s that live close to humans
learn to eventually eat human garbage, which is not good
for the bird’s growth and development. |
|
|
One
of the few birds in the world whose lower beak is longer
then its upper beak, the Black Skimmer can be found along
the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Massachusetts to Texas
and through Central and South America. It is a sea bird,
with a tendency to get most of its food from large (warm
if possible) bodies of water. The Black Skimmer’s
beak is relatively large, and is shaped so that it can
cut through the water to get at prey. This type of bird
likes to breed on islands, often with other birds like
Sea Gulls. A Black Skimmer’s young are brooded and
fed by both parents on regurgitated fish and crustaceans
dropped on the ground. Eventually chicks eat the whole
fish: chicks have normal looking beaks that eventually
take on their characteristic shape as they grow. Black
Skimmer’s are good parents and will defend their
nests, unlike other species that abandon their young to
their fate. Black Skimmer’s that live close to humans
learn to eventually eat human garbage, which is not good
for the bird’s growth and development. |
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