Bird Guide

American Oystercatcher vs Eurasian Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Large601 gCoastal

The American oystercatcher has distinctive black and white plumage and a long, bright orange beak. The head and breast are black and the back, wings and tail greyish-black. The underparts are white, as are feathers on the inner part of the wing which become visible during flight. The irises are yellow and the eyes have orange orbital rings. The legs are pink. Adults are between 42–52 cm (17–20 in) in length.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: lwolfartist · CC BY 2.0
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Large526 gCoastal

The oystercatcher is one of the largest waders in the region. It is 40–45 cm (16–18 in) long, the bill accounting for 8–9 cm (3–3+1⁄2 in), and has a wingspan of 80–85 cm (31–33 in). It is an obvious and noisy plover-like bird, with black and white plumage, pink legs and a strong broad red bill used for smashing or prising open molluscs such as mussels or for finding earthworms. The sexes are similar in plumage but the female has a longer bill than the male.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Eurasian Oystercatcher
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Alarm call, flight call · Îles Chausey, Granville, Manche, Normandie, France · CC0
Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0

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