American Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A large, boldly-patterned bird, the American Oystercatcher is conspicuous along ocean shores and salt marshes. True to its name, it is specialized in feeding on bivalves (oysters, clams, and mussels) and uses its brightly colored bill to get at them.

Description

• Large shorebird.
• Black head.
• Large red bill.
• Back brown.
• Underside white.
• Stout legs, dull pink.
• Bold white stripe in wings and white rump visible in flight.

• Size: 40-44 cm (16-17 in)
• Weight: 400-700 g (14.12-24.71 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Loud whistled "wheeps."

Conservation Status

Development and egg collectors may have been responsible for the decline of the American Oystercatcher along the Atlantic coast in the 19th century. Currently it is locally common in most areas, but consided of special concern in others.

Other Names

L'Huîtrier-pie, L'Huîtrier d'Amérique (French)
Ostrero (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Two races of American Oystercatcher breed in North America: the eastern race along the Atlantic coast, and a second race along the Pacific coast from northwestern Baja California southward. North of Baja California, the Black Oysercatcher takes over.

Sources used to construct this page:

Nol, E. and R. C. Humphrey. 1994. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus). In The Birds of North America, No. 82 (A. Poole and F.Gill,Eds.). Philadelphia:The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D. C.: The American Ornithologists' Union.