Difference between revisions of "Pied Oystercatcher" - BirdForum Opus

Latest revision as of 04:14, 15 June 2023

Photo © by jimmclean
Great Barrier Reef, Australia, June 2004

Photo © by Ken Doy
Wellington Point, Brisbane, Queensland Australia, August 2017

Haematopus longirostris

Identification

48–51 cm (19-20 in)

Black and white plumage
Long orange-red beak (5–8 cm)
Orange eyering
Red eye
Pink legs
White wing-stripe

Sexes similar but males have a shorter, wider beak, white breast and belly.

Similar Species

Photo © by peterday
Maria Island, Tasmania Australia, November 2021

2252 Oystercatcher, Pied 05f.jpg

South Island Oystercatcher: occurs in New Zealand.
Sooty Oystercatcher: has all black plumage.

Distribution

Coasts and islands of Australasia.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

Habitat

Sandy coastlines, mudflats, sandbanks, salt marshes, sand dunes and pastures.

Behaviour

Diet

They feed almost entirely on bivalve molluscs and other invertebrates

Breeding

Generally monogamous. Their nests are shallow scrapes. The clutch consists of 2-3 pale brown eggs with darker brown and black blotches and streaks. Both sexes share parenting duties.

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/
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2017)
Wikipedia

List of references

Recommended Citation

BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Pied Oystercatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Pied_Oystercatcher

External Links

Search for photos of Pied Oystercatcher in the gallery

Search for videos of Pied Oystercatcher in the gallery

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-;Haematopus longirostris
+[[Image:Pied_Oystercatcher.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|jimmclean|jimmclean}}<br />Great Barrier Reef, [[Australia]], June 2004]]
-[[Image:Pied_Oystercatcher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by jimmclean<br/>Location: Great Barrier Reef, Australia]]
+[[Image:Pied Oystercatcher 00000001.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|Ken+Doy|Ken Doy}}<br />Wellington Point, Brisbane, [[Queensland]] [[Australia]], August 2017 ]]
+;[[:Category:Haematopus|Haematopus]] longirostris
 ==Identification==
-The Pied Oystercatcher, ''Haematopus longirostris'', is an Australian species of oystercatcher.  It is easily recognized by the characteristic 5–8 cm long orange-red beak, slender pink legs and black and white plumage. With the wings extended, a white wing-stripe is also visible. The male and female show little differentiation, except that the males generally sport a shorter, wider beak.
+–51 cm (19-20 in)
+*Black and white plumage
+*Long orange-red beak (5–8 cm)
+*Orange eyering
+*Red eye
+*Pink legs
+*White wing-stripe<br />
+Sexes similar but males have a shorter, wider beak, white breast and belly.
+====Similar Species====
+[[Image:2252 Oystercatcher, Pied 05f.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|peterday|peterday}}<br />Maria Island, [[Tasmania]] [[Australia]], November 2021 ]]
+Oystercatcher, Pied 05f.jpg
+* [[South Island Oystercatcher]]: occurs in [[New Zealand]].
+* [[Sooty Oystercatcher]]: has all black plumage.
-The Pied Oystercatcher is shy of humans and seldom allows close approach.  All oystercatchers have a bright orange-red bill, eye-rings and legs and a red eye. Young birds are similar in appearance to the adults, but lack the intense red-orange colour and are more brown instead of black. The size ranges from 48 - 51 cm. The white breast and belly distinguish the Pied Oystercatcher from the closely related [[Sooty Oystercatcher]], ''H. fuliginosus'', which has all black plumage.
 ==Distribution==
-It is a wading bird native to Australia and commonly found on its coastline. The similar [[South Island  Oystercatcher]] (''H. finschi'') occurs in New Zealand.
+Coasts and islands of [[Australasia]].
 ==Taxonomy==
+This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
 ==Habitat==
-Pied Oystercatchers frequent sandy coastlines, where they feed mainly on bivalve molluscs, which are prised apart with their specially adapted bill. It prefers mudflats, sandbanks and sandy ocean beaches and is less common along rocky or shingle coastlines. Although rarely recorded far from the coast, the Pied Oystercatcher may occasionally be found in estuarine mudflats and short pasture.
+Sandy coastlines, mudflats, sandbanks, salt marshes, sand dunes and pastures.
 ==Behaviour==
-The name "oystercatcher" is something of a misnomer for this species, because they seldom eat oysters, which are found mainly on rocky coastlines.
+====Diet====
+They feed almost entirely on bivalve molluscs and other invertebrates
+====Breeding====
+Generally [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monogamous]]. Their nests are shallow scrapes. The clutch consists of 2-3 pale brown eggs with darker brown and black blotches and streaks. Both sexes share parenting duties.
+==References==
+#{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2017)
+#Wikipedia
+{{ref}}
+==External Links==
+{{GSearch|"Haematopus longirostris" {{!}} "Pied Oystercatcher"}}
+<br />
+{{VSearch|"Haematopus longirostris" {{!}} "Pied Oystercatcher", video}}
+{{GS-checked}}1
+<br />
+<br />
-Pied Oystercatchers feed mainly on bivalve molluscs, but also take other invertebrates. The techniques they use to break open the shells of the molluscs vary greatly and are thought to be learned behavior.
+[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Haematopus]] [[Category:Videos]]
-It is mostly silent when feeding but may utter a whistled ''peepapeep'' or ''pleep-pleep'' when in flight.
-They nest in shallow scrapes made in open areas near the shore and produce 2-3 eggs in a typical clutch. Each couple protects its nesting area and often uses the same area year after year. Like the gulls they share the shore with, Oystercatchers will band together to mob a perceived threat.
-The Pied Oystercatcher breeds in pairs from October to January each year (earlier in the north of Australia). A breeding territory of some 200 m is formed and is defended by both birds. Nesting takes place on sand, shell grit or shingle just above high water mark on beaches, sandbars, margins of estuaries and lagoons. The two or three eggs are well-camouflaged, being pale brown with darker brown and black blotches and streaks. Both sexes share parenting duties.
-==External Links==
-{{GSearch|Haematopus+longirostris}}
-*[http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&fid=39&bid=486 View more images of this species on the ABID]
-[[Category:Birds]]