If you were to see a Skimmer, and mistakenly name it a Tern, you wouldn’t be far wrong. Even inexperienced bird watcher might have to look twice to distinguish a Skimmer from a Tern. A Skimmer it is a medium to large size water bird that skims the surface of the ocean and picks up a formidable amount of marine protein. This type of waterfowl will nest, migrate, and flock feed on sand bars, marsh lagoons, coastal waterlands, and remote islands.

Skimmers are found in North America, Central America, and South America, and Skimmers particularly like the Atlantic Pacific and Gulf coasts. Southern parts of Asia and some parts of Africa also provide resident habitats to Skimmers.

The Skimmer will occupy a seacoast habitat and hunt at dawn or dusk when fish are more likely to be surface swimming. Indian Skimmers are decreasing in population and considered vulnerable to extinction. African Skimmers are almost as threatened.

The curious trait that will aid in identifying the Skimmer every time is that the lower part of the beak, the mandible, is longer than the top part of the beak. The red band or ring around the Skimmer’s beak should also signal that this area merits focus. But a quick look at any flying or stationary Skimmer will show the horizontally extended eyes, almost in slits. Only the Skimmer has this type of physical protection against likely water spray.

A Skimmer gets its name from the specialized predatory affect that the lower extended mandible affords. Mandibles at birth are equal length. But at the fledging stage the baby Skimmer’s lower mandible has already exceeded the upper tier. The Skimmer bill is as long as the pelican or gull type bird would have. Skimmers can fly low over the water at skimming speeds since the eyes are protected. The lower mandible is able to sift matter from water, with spray and extraneous fluid draining off as the bird lifts again into the air.

The mandible thus efficiently lifts and separates fish and sea protein from the water. Not surprisingly, marine life and protein make up a large part of the Skimmer’s diet. Juvenile colorations will appear a neutral grayish brown, but mature Skimmers will have dark black wing points and accents. The legs of a Skimmer are short, since they are used mostly for landing and taking off. The brownish bill in immature Skimmer will turn black with the red part in adulthood. African and Indian Skimmers will have touches of yellow.

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