Video: Courtship of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) Copyright: CO.BRA/INAU
Male presents a fish to the female during synchronization movements of both partners. Once the female accepts the fish, the male mounts her and copulation occurs.
The female holds the fish in her beak during copulation and swallows it afterward. This is a distinct difference between skimmers and terns, where females usually eat the fish before copulation. If a male skimmer cannot find his mate a fish, he may still be successful in courting her by presenting a stick or a leaf. Copulation may occur several times a day.
Video: Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) Copyright: CO.BRA/INAU
Iguanas were identified as main egg predators of the skimmer and tern colony at the Totelão sandbar. Video shows individual patrolling close by the breeding colony.