Black Skimmers
Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) in Mexico. These birds have distinctive uneven bills, where the lower mandible is longer than the upper. They catch fish and small crayfish by flying with an open bill just above the water surface, with the lower mandible cleaving the water. The upper mandible is extended forward so that it remains above water. As soon as the lower bill touches a fish, the upper bill snaps down and the fish caught in this way is swallowed head first. Filmed on Isla Holbox and near Progreso in Yucatán. Guide: Luis Trichan/Yucatán Birding.