Photo by Alok Tewari
National Chambal Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh), M.P. Division, India, 21 January 2014
- Rynchops albicollis
Photo by Alok Tewari
Nazafgarh Wetlands and Marshes, Delhi-Haryana Border, India, 26 July 2022
Identification
38–43 cm (15-17 inches)
The Indian Skimmer which is also commonly refereed as Scissor Bill has a striking feature which is it's bill. The skimmer has the lower mandible longer than the upper bill.
- Large orange-red beak
- Black cap and upperparts
- White forehead, nape and body
Distribution
Asia: found on the Indian subcontinent and Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
In India it is generally confined to or near the Ganges. But there has been sighting of this bird in the year 2009 , down south in the coastal city called Chennai ( Muthaliar Kuppam ) in the state of Tamil Nadu - Southern India. This has been the first sighting of a live bird down south.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Rivers , lakes and back waters. They prefer very shallow water.
Vulnerable, due to habitat disturbance.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet consists of fish, insect larvae and shrimps.
References
Photo by Alok Tewari
Jamnagar, Coastal Gujarat, India, 18 December 2017
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- BF Member observations
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2015)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Indian Skimmer. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 23 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Indian_Skimmer
External Links
Search the Gallery for Indian Skimmer videos:
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
