Fishermen and the anglers use light to attract the fish at night.

A bird uses the same technique more subtly though!

The bird called skimmer uses the minute marine creatures in the same way.

The skimmer usually hunts in the coastal waters during the evenings and bright nights.

It flies just above the water with the tip of its longer lower beak

continually skimming through the surface of water below.

As the bird forages forwards and backwards, it leaves a path of

the disturbed phosphorescent micro organisms.

This will attract more fish to come nearer to the surface.

After catching the prey, the skinner snaps shut its beak

with knife edges of the beaks holding on to the food.

It swallows the catch during its flight.

Since it flies so close to the water surface

it has developed a unique style of flying!

Its wings never drop below the horizontal-

lest the fish be warned of the hovering danger in the form of the bird!