Alternative name: African Black Oystercatcher
- Haematopus moquini
Identification
Length 42-45 cm (16½-17¾ in), mass 582-835 g. Females larger than males
Adult: Black with an orange-red bill, red eyes, an orange eye ring and pink legs and feet.
Immatures: Duller than adults, bill and eyes brown, eye ring narrow and legs and feet grey.
Distribution
Coast of South Africa, Namibia and southern Angola.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
The Canary Islands Oystercatcher (H. meadewaldoi; extinct) is split from the African Oystercatcher.
Habitat
Rocky shores and sandy beaches; sometimes estuaries, lagoons and coastal pans.
Behaviour
Usually forages in pairs or small groups, and roosts communally.
Diet
Forages in the intertidal zone, mainly for limpets and mussels; feeds both at night and during the day.
Breeding
The nest is a scrape in the ground above the high-water mark (but usually within 30 m thereof). One to three eggs are laid September to April.
Conservation Status
Classified as Near-threatened in the 2007 IUCN Red List (BirdLife International, 2007): Human disturbance (on the mainland) and introduced predators and diseases (on islands) are the main threats to this species which is present in relatively low numbers (about 6000 individuals) and has a low rate of reproduction.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- BirdLife International 2007. Species factsheet: Haematopus moquini. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 14/2/2008.
- Claassens A & Marais E 2008. Species information page - African Black Oystercatcher. SASOL Bird e-Guide. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org.za/fieldguide on 25 January 2008.
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) African Oystercatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 October 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/African_Oystercatcher
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
