Black Oystercatcher
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Haematopodidae
Genus: Haematopus
Species: bachmani
**Black Oystercatcer Audio Below**
Description
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Length: 17.5"
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Wing span: 32"
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Weight: 1.4 lb (650 grams)
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Large black shorebird
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Large red bill, dull pink legs and yellow eyes surrounded with a red eyering
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Sexes look alike
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Juvenile is very similar to adult
Factoids:
- large, conspicuous, and noisy bird of the Pacific Coast, the Black Oystercatcher can be found along rocky shores from Alaska to Baja California
- 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
- Young are downy and active at birth and are able to leave the nest as soon as the down feathers dry
All photographs and audio clips are ©Jamie Mullin 2006
Sources: Cornell Lab of Ornithology & The Sibley Guide to Birds.
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