The Skimmer, a distinctive and agile bird found amongst the sandbanks of the Chobe River in Botswana, are quite a challenge to photograph - think I still need lots of practice!
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| African Skimmer in action |
African skimmers feed mostly at dusk, dawn and during the night, and rest during the warmest part of the day.
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| African Skimmer in flight |
The Skimmer, which has a uniquely shaped yellow-tipped red bill, with the lower mandible distinctly longer than the upper, flies just above the calm surface of the water searching for small fish. As the bird's elongated lower mandible breaks the surface of the water it scoops up its catch.
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| Returning to the sandbar |
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| A clutch of two African Skimmer eggs - nested in a scrape of sand |
These agile birds are monogamous and nest in a scrape on a sandbar where they lay a clutch of two to three eggs over several days.
The African Skimmer ( Rynchops flavirostris) is frequently sighted in pairs or small flocks, along the Chobe River Botswana, amongst the sandbars and islands with little vegetation.
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| Skimming for small fish |
Bye for now
Cheers Jen
http://www.botswanatourism.co.bw/animal/african-skimmer
http://www.arkive.org/african-skimmer/rynchops-flavirostris
