Skimmer is the name for three species of birds that live near oceans, lakes, and other bodies of water. The name skimmer comes from the way the birds fly rapidly along the surface of the water. A skimmer holds its beak open and keeps the lower part beneath the surface, scooping up insects, small fish, shrimp, and other small animals. Skimmers are also called scissorbills because of their thin, bladelike bills. The lower part of the bill is much longer than the upper part.
The black skimmer, found in North America and South America, has black feathers on the upper part of its body and white feathers on the underside. The female black skimmer makes its nest in a hollow in the sand. It lays three to five eggs. The African skimmer lives in Africa, and the Indian skimmer lives in Asia.
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Black skimmer
