A citizen scientist’s survey provides insights into the movements of Atlantic and Gulf states’ populations of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger)
Brett R. Moyer · 2026
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Description
Brett R Moyer reports a five-year personal survey of banded Black Skimmers in Florida, published in 2026. New plastic bands can be read from far off, so members of the public can now report many sightings. Moyer used that chance to run a study of his own, alongside the banding scientists' work.
Over five years he photographed bands on hundreds of individual skimmers. Birds reached northeast Florida in large numbers from Atlantic states far to the north. Birds from the Gulf coast, even much closer ones, came far less often. He also records the longest known move from birth site for the species, showing gene flow between Gulf and Atlantic groups. He discusses wintering, migration stops, and breeding moves as reasons for the trips.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Brett R. Moyer |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 28 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |