BIRDS of THE WORLD - An Online Bird Book
GULLS and Allies
SKIMMERs
Order Charadriiformes Family Laridae
GULLS and Allies
Gulls, terns, skimmers, skuas, puffins, and their allies belong to the order Charadriiformes. Charadriiformes is a diverse order and contains many other families. Most live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic (seabirds), some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick forest.
SKIMMERs
Order Charadriiformes Family Laridae
The Skimmers are a small genus of tern-like birds. They are the only birds with distinctive uneven bills with the lower mandible longer than the upper. This remarkable adaptation allows them to fish in a unique way, flying low and fast over surfaces of water. Their lower mandible skims or slices over the water's surface ready to snap shut before a small fish is able to dart clear. They are the only birds known to have slit-shaped pupils. Their bills fall within their field of binocular vision and enable them to carefully position their bill and capture prey. They are tropical and subtropical species which lay 3-6 eggs on sandy beaches.
Genus Rynchops
Skimmer, African Rynchops flavirostris Found: Africa
The African Skimmer has black upperparts; bright orange bill with yellow tip (black tip in juveniles); white forehead, face, forehead, underparts; red legs.
Image by: 1) Robert Muckley 2, 4) Lip Kee - Namibia 3) Ian White - Botswana
Skimmer, Black Rynchops niger Found: The Americas
The Black Skimmer has black upperparts; bright red base; black rest of bill); white forehead, face, forehead, underparts; red legs.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 
1) Juvenile (top) 2, 3) Juvenile
Skimmer, Indian Rynchops albicollis Found: southern Asia
The Indian Skimmer has black upperparts; bright orange bill; white neck, face, forehead, underparts; red legs.
Image by: 1) Arindam Bhattacharya 2) Davidvraju 3) The Belurs
