African Oystercatcher vs South Island 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

South Island Oystercatcher

Haematopus finschi

Large526 gCoastal

The 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. It is distinguished from the pied morph of the variable oystercatcher by a white lower back, more white on the wing, and a demarcation line of black and white further forward on the breast, and from the pied oystercatcher of Australia by a longer bill and shorter legs, as well as the forward demarcation line of white on the back being pointed rather than square. It is 46 cm in length; its wingspan is 80–86 cm; it weighs 550 g. Voice: It has piping calls, which are used socially and aggressively, as well as a piercing alarm call and a quiet flight call.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Pwhdavey - Paul Davey · CC BY 3.0

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