The black skimmer is an unusual bird. There are three species of skimmers, and the one called “black” lives on several shorelines in North America, migrating as far as South America for the winter. About 18 inches long, they have wide, long wings. They are black on top and are quite striking with a black and white face, white neck, breast and underside, and red legs as well as a red and black bill. Skimmers are social birds, living in large flocks of up to 300 pairs near the ocean or Gulf of Mexico.
A person might think something is wrong with the bill, since the lower part is an inch or more longer than the upper part. However, this longer part of the bill is exactly suited to the way they fish, and the sides of their bills fit together perfectly. The bottom edge of the top bill is as sharp as a knife blade and fits into grooves in the bottom bill when it snaps its bill shut. They have special eyes, too, with pupils running vertically through them, which narrow to thin slits to cut the glare of the sun as they glide over the water during the daytime.
Skimmers live almost entirely on fish or other small marine life which are just below the surface of the water. They fish by skimming above the water’s surface, holding their bills open, keeping the lower half just under the surface to scoop up any small fish and shrimp or crabs near the surface.
If a fish is a good size, the skimmer may hold it in the closed bill and carry it to its nest. If there are no young birds to feed, it will land on shore and cut the fish into small pieces with its sharp bill.
It’s amazing how many little fish are close to the surface, that would probably never be seen by a person in a boat, and are almost always present in bay areas or even in open waters. The skimmers are given instincts by the Creator to know they are there. However, in stormy weather and high waves, they can’t undertake these fishing trips.
The bills and eyes of the skimmer show us the perfect wisdom of the Creator when He made all the birds on day five of the creation. Have you ever thought of how He has provided for you in your life in so many special ways? As Christians, we walk through a world opposed to God in every way, and also opposed to us if we belong to Him. Yet He has given us His Word and His Spirit to guide and keep us, if we listen to them. I hope you read your Bible every day and ask the Lord to show you more clearly how to live for Him and know more of His love!
Messages of God’s Love 2/26/2023