Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
🦷 An intentional underbite? An orthodontist would never — but nature sure would.
The Black Skimmer is the only bird in the Americas with a lower bill longer than its upper bill. This remarkable adaptation turns its beak into the perfect fishing tool. Flying just inches above the water, it drags its elongated lower bill through the surface until it touches a fish — then SNAP! Bon appétit!
🌙 Black Skimmers are also one of the few seabirds that regularly hunt at night. Their eyes have cat-like pupils that can narrow into vertical slits, helping them cut through glare and see in low-light conditions to continue flying gracefully.
Found only in the Americas, Black Skimmers range from the coasts of North and South America to the rivers of the Amazon Basin. Their unusual appearance has earned them many nicknames like "Scissor-bill," "Cutwater," and even "Seadog" — a reference to their bark-like calls.
Learn more about these barking seadogs in our bird library:
abcbirds.info/4xboZnK
🦷 An intentional underbite? An orthodontist would never — but nature sure would.
The Black Skimmer is the only bird in the Americas with a lower bill longer than its upper bill. This remarkable adaptation turns its beak into the perfect fishing tool. Flying just inches above the water, it drags its elongated lower bill through the surface until it touches a fish — then SNAP! Bon appétit!
🌙 Black Skimmers are also one of the few seabirds that regularly hunt at night. Their eyes have cat-like pupils that can narrow into vertical slits, helping them cut through glare and see in low-light conditions to continue flying gracefully.
Found only in the Americas, Black Skimmers range from the coasts of North and South America to the rivers of the Amazon Basin. Their unusual appearance has earned them many nicknames like "Scissor-bill," "Cutwater," and even "Seadog" — a reference to their bark-like calls.
Learn more about these barking seadogs in our bird library:
abcbirds.info/4xboZnK
