Black Oystercatcher

Haematopus bachmaniOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae)

Codes: Common Name: BLOY Scientific Name: HAEBAC ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176475

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Buff to olive with brown and black markings

Number of Eggs:

1 - 4

Incubation Days:

24 - 29

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Small pebbles, pieces of seashells.

Migration:

Nonmigratory

General

Black Oystercatcher: Large stocky brown-black shorebird with bright orange bill and glaring yellow eyes with contrasting orange eyeiring. Stout legs are dull yellow. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has brown eyes and darker bill.

Range and Habitat

Black Oystercatcher: Favors outer coastlines and rocky headlands from Alaska to Baja California. May use tidal mudflats during winter.

Breeding and Nesting

Black Oystercatcher: Nests among rocks or grasses above high tide mark on inaccessible cliffs or islands. Nest is a simple scrape on the ground. Lays one to four buff to olive eggs marked brown and black. Both sexes incubate for 24 to 29 days. Chicks remain near the nest for several weeks, then gradually venture closer to waves and food sources.

Foraging and Feeding

Black Oystercatcher: Moves slowly and methodically among wave-splashed rocks along the ocean, stabbing limpets and mussels open or prying them off rocks. May eat other shellfish including whelks, urchins, and crabs.

Vocalization

Black Oystercatcher: Very loud piercing whistles that can be heard at great distance over crashing waves.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Black Oystercatcher

Black Oystercatcher: Large stocky brown-black shorebird with long,bright orange bill and glaring yellow eyes with contrasting orange eye ring. The legs and feet are pink. Feeds primarily on limpets and other shellfish, also eats mussels and marine worms. Rapid direct flight with shallow wing beats.

● Song: No data available.

● Foraging & Feeding: Black Oystercatcher: Moves slowly and methodically among wave-splashed rocks along the ocean, stabbing limpets and mussels open or prying them off rocks. May eat other shellfish including whelks, urchins, and crabs.

● Breeding & nesting: Black Oystercatcher: Nests among rocks or grasses above high tide mark on inaccessible cliffs or islands. Nest is a simple scrape on the ground. Lays one to four buff to olive eggs marked brown and black. Both sexes incubate for 24 to 29 days. Chicks remain near the nest for several weeks, then gradually venture closer to waves and food sources.

● Similar species:

Flight Pattern

Strong stiff wingbeats, flight usually direct but more dramatic during territorial confrontations.

● Range & Habitat: Black Oystercatcher: Favors outer coastlines and rocky headlands from Alaska to Baja California. May use tidal mudflats during winter.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^Population

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight20.8 Ounces

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America