The sharp lower beak skims through the water until it hits something (with any luck a fish). When it does its head is pulled down. This triggers a reflex that rolls a special vertebrae in its neck forcefully slamming the upper beak down on the lower. It looks like this.
And now by request (honest) the second stanza of:
The Marvelous Black Skimmer :)
His slicing through water at dawn
Attracts fish to see what’s going on.
Then his beak is the trap that comes down with a snap,
But the fish never seem to catch on. :)
And that my friends will have to stand as my lone contribution to Birdish Literature. :)
