Skimmers are amazing, unique birds related to gulls and terns, but with only three skimmer species in the world, birders have to know exactly where to go to see these agile fliers and creative foragers. If birders do know where to see skimmers, however, it can be easy to add these birds to a life list.

Skimmer Habitats

Skimmers are not true pelagic birds that stay out to sea for months or years at a time and only return to land for breeding, but they do rely on the ocean and other wide, open bodies of water.

All skimmers are found near coastlines, open marshes, wide rivers and similar habitats such as inlets and estuaries. During breeding seasons, these birds need sandy regions for nesting, and are often found on open beaches, barrier islands and sandbars protected from harsh, open surf.

As piscivorous birds, skimmers require rich marine life for their aquatic diets, so the water habitats must be able to support adequate fish. Areas with excessive pollution are not suitable, and if local water supplies are managed for periodic droughts and floods such as may be necessary for agricultural irrigation, that may make the region less suitable for skimmers because the food supplies are not as reliable and nesting areas can be washed out.

Where to See Skimmers

There are only three species of skimmer, and while they look very similar, their ranges do not overlap. These are distinctive birds that are easy to recognize by their razor-thin bills, long tapered wings, pied plumage and unique skimming feeding pattern, but to see them birders have go to the right places.

• Black Skimmer: The black skimmer (Rynchops niger) is the only skimmer species in the western hemisphere, and is found in both North and South America. In North America these birds stay primarily along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as far north in the east as Massachusetts during the breeding season, but year-round from Florida to Texas and into Mexico. In winter they become more common along the Pacific coast. In South America, black skimmers extend as far south as Chile and Argentina, and can be found inland along wide, slow tropical rivers.

• African Skimmer: Aptly named for its range, the African skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) is found only on the continent of Africa. They are spread throughout the sub-Saharan tropical region of the continent, though can be seen further north along the Nile River, as far as into southern Egypt. Their range extends south to Angola, northern Botswana and Mozambique, but they are missing from the southern tip of the continent where beaches tend to have more cliffs and harsh, rocky shores that are less suitable as skimmer nesting habitat.

• Indian Skimmer: The Indian skimmer (Rynchops albicollis) is the skimmer species with the most restricted range. Isolated populations are found in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, but increasingly poor habitat, agricultural flooding, human disturbance and feral dogs that decimate nesting colonies are grave threats to this species' overall population. Currently considered a threatened species, the Indian skimmer may become endangered if preservation measures are not strongly implemented.

When birders know a skimmer's range and what types of habitats are best to see these gull-like birds, it is possible to easily add them to a life list. Many birding tours in Africa and India, as well as coastal festivals in North America, make special arrangements to ensure skimmers are part of the trip's highlights. Vagrant skimmers are occasionally recorded outside the expected ranges as well, particularly at inland areas after coastal storms or poor weather systems have pushed the birds out of their typical habitat.

Skimmers in Captivity

Because of their unique feeding behavior – skimming over long, shallow, open bodies of water – skimmers are not typically seen in captivity. Few aviaries, zoos or aquariums have suitable facilities to accommodate skimmers, but if a skimmer is deemed unreleasable because of injuries, it may become a resident of a captive habitat. Captive skimmers, however, cannot usually feed through skimming and must be fed through alternative means, a stressful process that can make it less humane to keep the birds captive than to euthanize them.

Rehabilitation facilities that specialize in coastal birds such as gulls, terns and pelagic birds may have captive skimmers as temporary guests when the birds need emergency care, such as recovering from fishing line tangles or oil pollution. These birds are not usually available for public viewing, however, but the regulations and guidelines vary for different facilities and birders may be able to get an up close view of these unique birds on rare occasions.

Skimmers – black, African and Indian – are unique and outstanding birds, well worth finding for exceptional views, especially when a birder can witness their stately skimming firsthand. By understanding these birds' preferred habitat and established ranges, any birder can take steps to see a skimmer.

Photo – Black Skimmer © Dan Pancamo