Black Skimmers are very interesting birds and fun to watch catch fish. The strange, uneven bill of the skimmer has a purpose: the bird flies low, with the long lower mandible plowing the water, snapping the bill shut when it contacts a fish. Skimmers nest along the beaches. Often the Florida Audubon will rope off the are to try to keep people and pets away. It is very important to give them space. If you get to close the parents fly off the nests and try to chase you away. In the meantime there are always gulls and crowd circling that will quickly move in and grab a baby if the parents are distracted. The adults will also attack other babies that roam too close to their nest (which are just small depressions in the sand). FYI a few of the pics may be disturbing, but it is all part of nature. Sometimes you wonder how any of them actually survive.
Baby Black Skimmer sitting in the sand.
Small but mighty.
Adult Black Skimmer and baby with fish that was just brought in for it.
Magnificent Frigatebird cruising overhead.
Black Skimmer siblings.
Catch me if you can. Siblings compete for the fish brough in by the parent.
Flying straight at me with a fish.
Parent and chick cuddled up.
Black Skimmer returning with food.
Baby Black Skimmer playing with stick.
Baby Black Skimmer playing with stick.
Black Skimmer in flight. Warning signs behind him educating people to give them space.
Flyby in front of the Gulf.
Passing off a small fish.
Baby Black Skimmer at sunrise.
Baby Black Skimmer with rock.
Little Skimmer with fish.
Little Skimmer with fish.
Black Skimmer tenderizing fish before passing to babies.
Black Skimmer showing off his fish.
Black Skimmer with fish closeup.
Black Skimmer with fish closeup.
Black Skimmer passing off fish to baby.
Big fish for a baby Black Skimmer.
Big fish for a baby Black Skimmer.
Big fish for a baby Black Skimmer.
Baby Skimmer being attacked by other Skimmer parent.
Baby Skimmer being attacked by other Skimmer parent.
Baby Skimmer being attacked by other Skimmer parent.
Baby Skimmer chick walking away after being attacked by other Skimmer parent.
Older Black Skimmer chick with deceased baby. Possible siblicide?
Feed me!
Cuddled up.
Trying to swallow it’s sibling…
Older Skimmer chick playing with a stick.
Black Skimmer with big fish closeup.
Black Skimmer with big fish closeup. Tenderizing fish before passing to baby.
The passoff.
Almost all the way down the hatch.
A satisfied customer.
Getting chased.
An adult skimmer attacking another bird’s baby?? On the other hand, some human parents attack or murder their children. That’s life (and death).
Thanks, Matt. This was another educational group of photos about one bird.
Hugs
Big Granny
The skimmer is such a majestic bird to watch. Its body is not the large,but its wingspan is enormous. It looks like a B-47.
The baby skimmer is very cute, but that does not save them from attacks by other skimmers. I like the baby skimmer with a large rock in his mouth. Who knows why.
Great pictures.