The Bird That Fishes With Its Beak

Hi, my name is Fatima. I am a young wildlife ambassador, and I studied the Black Skimmer. Black Skimmers are very interesting birds because they catch fish in a way that almost no other bird does. Their lower beak is longer than the upper beak. When they fly over the water, they put the lower part of their beak into the water and skim across the surface. When the beak touches a fish, it quickly snaps shut. That is how they catch their food!

Black Skimmers live near beaches, bays, salt marshes, and shallow coastal waters. They eat small fish such as silversides, killifish, and even menhaden. This was exciting for me because menhaden are another species we studied. It helped me understand that animals are connected. A small fish swimming underwater can become food for a bird flying above it.

Black Skimmers also live and nest around New York, including areas near Jamaica Bay and Breezy Point. They make their nests right on the sand. Their nests may look simple, but that small piece of beach is very important because it is where they lay their eggs and raise their chicks.

Black Skimmers are not as common as they once were, and in New York they are a species that scientists watch carefully. One problem is that the beaches they need are also beaches that people love to visit. People, dogs, vehicles, and too much activity can disturb nesting birds. Storms and high tides can also wash away nests because the eggs are sitting right on the sand.

The good news is that people are helping. Scientists, park workers, and volunteers watch Black Skimmer colonies and protect important nesting areas with signs and fences. Sometimes the same protected beach can help Piping Plovers and Black Skimmers at the same time. Protecting menhaden can also help Black Skimmers because menhaden are one of the fish they eat. This taught me that when we protect one part of nature, we may be helping many other species too.

Kids can help as well. We can stay outside protected nesting areas, keep beaches clean, never chase birds, keep our distance when they are resting or feeding, and remind others that the beach is also a home for wildlife. Even changing where we walk can sometimes help a bird feel safe.

Before I studied the Black Skimmer, I might have just seen a black-and-white bird flying over the water. Now I see much more. I think about the fish underneath the water, the special beak touching the surface, the nest somewhere on the sand, and all the other animals connected to the same place.

Protecting wildlife does not begin with doing something big. It begins with noticing, learning, and giving another living thing the space it needs.