Black Skimmer

from The Birds of Texas
by John L. Tveten

The world's three skimmer species are the only birds whose lower mandibles are longer than the upper. Of these, only Rynchops niger occurs in the Americas. The black skimmer ranges along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Massachusetts to Texas and through Central and South America. It is a year-round resident in Texas but is less common in the winter. Skimmers occasionally wander inland, especially on the winds of summer storms, but most remain along the coastal beaches and bays.