American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus
- IdentificationVisual tips about this species
- BehaviourHabitat, behaviour, and food
- PopulationSubspecies and numbers
- ReproductionNesting and eggs
Identification
The American Oystercatcher is a large, boldly marked, noisy and therefore conspicuous shorebird. It has a black head and neck, chocolate brown upperparts with white wing patches, white underparts, pink legs and a long, bright red-orange bill. At the slightest hint of danger it will rise from the beach and may disappear along the shoreline with its large white tail and wing patches flashing.
Voice
A loud, penetrating, ‘wheep, wheep, wheep’.
Length
17.5in
Migration
Most birds in the eastern United States are resident, but there is some movement to the south and they are absent from the most northern part of their range in winter.
Habitat
It is strictly a coastal bird and can be seen walking and feeding along beaches and mud flats.
Food
Primarily mussels, oysters and clams, but also sand crabs, sea worms and jellyfish.
Population trends
The population was severely reduced by hunters in the late 1800s, but it has recovered and is probably increasing.
Where in US
Found from New England to south Texas. A permanent resident in most of this range, it does gather in large flocks and retreats from areas north of the Carolinas in winter.
Nests
Nests well above the high tide mark on sandy dunes or on salt marsh islands. The nest consists of a shallow depression in the sand, usually unlined, but sometimes with pebbles or broken shells.
Eggs
2-4, buff-gray, spotted, splotched and streaked with dark brownish-black. Single-brooded.
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