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Black Oystercatcher
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| Haematopus bachmani | |
A large, conspicuous, and noisy bird of the Pacific Coast, the Black Oystercatcher can be found along rocky shores from Alaska to Baja California.
Interesting Information
Black Oystercatchers from Alaska to about Oregon are entirely black, but southward from there birds show increasing amounts of white feathers and browner (less black) abdomens.
Description
Adult Description
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Size: 42-47 cm (17-19 in)
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Weight: 500-700 g (17.65-24.71 ounces)
Large shorebird. Black head and body. Large red bill. Stout, dull pink legs. Eyes yellow, with surrounding ring of red skin.
Sex Differences
Sexes look alike.
Immature
Similar to adult, but bill duller and back with scaly light edges to feathers.
Photo taken from: The Sibley Field Guide by David Allen Sibley
© 2003 Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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Habitat |
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Rocky seacoasts and islands, less commonly sandy beaches. |
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Behavior |
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Spend their entire lives in or near intertidal habitats. |
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Food |
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Molluscs, especially mussels and limpets |
Taxonomy
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Family: | Haematopodidae |
| Genus: | Haematopus |
| Species: | Haematopus bachmani |
Similar Species |
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American Oystercatcher has brown back, white belly, white rump, and large white stripe in wings. |
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Bird Sound |
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Loud whistled "wheeps." |
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Eggs look like this |
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Photo taken from: ARCTOS Collaborative Collection Management Solution |
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Sources Used To Construct This Page |
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Andres, B. A., and G. A. Falxa. 1995. Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). In The Birds of North America No. 155 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists? Union, Washington, D.C. |
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| All photos and videos © Rick Swartzentrover - Free for non-profit use. | ||||
