African Oystercatcher vs Blackish Oystercatcher

African Oystercatcher

Haematopus moquini

Large692 gCoastal

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.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0

Blackish Oystercatcher

Haematopus ater

Large724 gCoastal

The blackish oystercatcher's plumage is slaty-black with wings and back rather dark brown. The long bill is blood-red and the legs are white. The sexes are similar in appearance. The bird is easily overlooked on a rocky shore, its dark colour blending with the rocks on which it walks as it forages, and it does not draw attention to itself. Its presence, however, can easily be detected by its loud and distinctive warning calls. Its song, when given in duet, consists of an excited chatter of piping whistles. Calls include notes that sound like "pip" and "peeeeyeeee".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: ignacio_diaz05 · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: African Oystercatcher and Blackish Oystercatcher.