Silhouette: Daniel Nuñez-Leon · PhyloPic

Black Skimmer

Rynchops niger

Silhouette: Daniel Nuñez-Leon · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusRynchops (Skimmers)
SpeciesRynchops niger (Black Skimmer)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Manuel Antonio National Park

1 Verified sightings at Manuel Antonio National Park From 2019 to 2026

6,411 Verified sightings across all 41 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Black Skimmer

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.

The black skimmer was described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1755 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae and given the binomial name Rynchops niger. The genus name Rynchops is from the Ancient Greek ῥυvχος/rhunkhos meaning "bill" and κοπτω/koptō meaning "to cut off". The specific niger is the Latin word for "black". The black skimmer is one of three species in the genus Rynchops.

There are three subspecies: The black skimmer is the largest of the three skimmer species. It measures 40–50 cm (16–20 in) long with a 107–127 cm (42–50 in) wingspan. This species ranges from 212 to 447 g (7.5 to 15.8 oz), with males averaging about 349 g (12.3 oz), as compared to the smaller females 254... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Manuel Antonio National Park

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Onychoprion anaethetus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Thalasseus maximus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Chlidonias niger

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Leucophaeus atricilla

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anous stolidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Gygis alba

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sterna hirundo

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Xema sabini

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Thalasseus elegans

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Actitis macularius

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~50%
2	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
3	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~40%
4	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~30%
5	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
6	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
7	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~10%
8	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
9	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
10	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
11	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
12	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
13	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
14	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
15	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
16	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
17	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
18	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
19	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
20	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
21	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
22	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
23	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
24	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
25	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
26	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
27	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
28	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
29	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
30	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
31	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
32	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
33	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
34	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
35	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
36	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
37	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
38	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
39	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
40	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
41	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Manuel Antonio National Park

Black Skimmer

About the Black Skimmer

Recent sightings of Black Skimmer in Manuel Antonio National Park

Closest Relatives at Manuel Antonio National Park

Franklin's Gull

Bridled Tern

Royal Tern

Black Tern

Laughing Gull

Brown Noddy

White Tern

Common Tern

Sabine's Gull

Elegant Tern

Sandwich Tern

Spotted Sandpiper

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found