OYSTERCATCHER

European oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) any of several shorebirds, notable for their long, flattened, orange-red bills, constituting the genus Haematopus, family Haematopodidae. Found in temperate to tropical parts of the world, oystercatchers are stout-bodied birds measuring 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 inches) long, with thick, pinkish legs; long, pointed wings; and a long, wedge-shaped bill. Their plumage varies from black and white, including a bold white wing patch, to entirely black. Oystercatchers feed largely on mollusks (such as oysters, clams, and mussels), attacking them as the tide ebbs, when their shells are exposed and still partially open. These birds nest on the ground, usually laying their two to four eggs in the sand. There are about seven species. Among them is the European oystercatcher (H. ostralegus), of Europe, Asia, and Africa, which is black above and white beneath. The American oystercatcher (H. palliatus), of coastal regions in the Western Hemisphere, is dark above, with a black head and neck, and white below. The black oystercatcher (H. bachmani), of western North America, and the sooty oystercatcher (H. fuliginosus), of Australia, are dark except for the pinkish legs.