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CoastalScrapeLarge · 692 g
ID tip
The African oystercatcher is a large, noisy wader, with completely black plumage, red legs and a strong broad red bill. The sexes are similar in appearance, however, females are larger and have a slightly longer beak than males. Juveniles have soft grey plumage and do not express the characteristic red legs and beak until after they fledge. The call is a distinctive loud piping, very similar to Eurasian oystercatchers. As the Eurasian oystercatcher is a migratory species they only occur as a vagrant in southern Africa, and its black-and-white plumage makes confusion impossible.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the African Oystercatcher
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.
Where to see the African Oystercatcher
The map shades 3 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
About the African Oystercatcher
The African oystercatcher or African black oystercatcher is a large charismatic wader resident to the mainland coasts and offshore islands of southern Africa. This oystercatcher has a population of over 6,000 adults, which breed between November and April. The scientific name moquini commemorates the French naturalist Alfred Moquin-Tandon who discovered and named this species before Bonaparte.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
South Island OystercatcherHaematopus finschiThe South Island oystercatcher is easily identifiable as a pied oystercatcher – a large wader with striking black and white plumage, long red-orange bill, and red legs.
Blackish OystercatcherHaematopus aterThe blackish oystercatcher's plumage is slaty-black with wings and back rather dark brown.
Sooty OystercatcherHaematopus fuliginosusMeasuring 42 to 52 cm (16.5 to 20.5 in) long with a bill length of 5–8 cm (2–3 in), the sooty oystercatcher has all black plumage, with pink-red legs and scarlet or orange-red bill and eyes.
Side by side: African Oystercatcher vs Variable Oystercatcher · African Oystercatcher vs Sooty Oystercatcher · African Oystercatcher vs South Island Oystercatcher · African Oystercatcher vs Blackish Oystercatcher · African Oystercatcher vs Magellanic Oystercatcher
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