Wildlife
Oystercatchers are striking, black and white wading birds with long bright red bills. Their bill is used to break into shellfish, and each individual inherits a particular technique from its parents. Despite the name, oystercatchers are not known to eat oysters and in fact favour mussels. They supplement this specialised diet of hard-shelled molluscs with softer-bodied invertebrates, such as crustaceans, worms and insects. Oystercatcherd are primarily shorebirds, although they do sometimes breed inland by rivers and lochs. They are more usually found at the coast during the winter.
Scientific name: Haematopus ostralegus
Rank: Species
In order to see this content you need to have an up-to-date version of Flash installed and Javascript turned on.
Scilly birds
The Scilly Isles provide a stopover for migratory birds.
The Scilly Isles provide a stopover for migratory birds.
Self-sufficient chicks
Oystercatcher chicks get up and go as soon as they hatch, under mum’s watchful eye.
Oystercatcher chicks get up and go as soon as they hatch, under mum’s watchful eye.
Oystercatcher misnomer
They don't eat oysters, but they can adapt their bills for different foods in just ten days.
They don't eat oysters, but they can adapt their bills for different foods in just ten days.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Oystercatcher can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales, Ynys-hir nature reserve. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Oystercatcher distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Year assessed: 2009
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) also known as the Common Pied Oystercatcher, or (in Europe) just Oystercatcher, is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It is the most widespread of the oystercatchers, with three races breeding in western Europe, central Eurasia, Kamchatka, China, and the western coast of Korea. No other oystercatcher occurs within this area.
This oystercatcher is the national bird of the Faroe Islands, where it is called tjaldur.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia. If you find the content in the 'About' section factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia. For more information on our use of Wikipedia please read our FAQ.
BBC © 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
Coastal
Estuaries
Intertidal zone
Lakes and ponds
Rivers and streams
Migration
Camouflage
Carnivorous
Colonial
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Monogamous
Moulting
Egg layer
Parental investment
Active at birth