File:Black_skimmer_Rynchops_niger.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
OverviewAI-generated
The Black Skimmer, scientifically named *Rynchops niger*, is a species of bird belonging to the family Rynchopidae and the order Charadriiformes. It is classified within the class Aves and the phylum Chordata. The species was described by Linnaeus in 1758 and is currently accepted as a valid taxon. Its IUCN conservation status is listed as Least Concern, a designation recorded in 2025.
This marine bird has a wingspan of 37 and a mass of 349. Its range includes Brazil, South America, Africa, and Belém. The species is also known by the common names sgimiwr du, Amerikanischer Scherenschnabel, and Rayador americano. A single record associated with the institution TTU in the United States is noted in available data.
Synthesized by Vinony from 28 facts across 5 sources: Wikidata, IUCN Red List, WoRMS, iDigBio, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Species
Least Concernblack skimmer
Species
- PhylumChordata
- ClassAves
- OrderCharadriiformes
- FamilyRynchopidae
via IUCN
~5 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The black skimmer (Rynchops niger) is a tern-like seabird, one of three similar bird species in the skimmer genus Rynchops in the gull family Laridae. It breeds in North and South America. Northern populations winter in the warmer waters of the Caribbean and the tropical and subtropical Pacific and Atlantic coasts, but South American populations make only shorter movements in response to annual floods which extend their feeding areas in the river shallows.
Taxonomy
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Black Skimmer” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.