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Australian Pied OystercatcherAlternate name(s): "Pied Oystercatcher", "White-breasted Oyster-catcher", "Black-and-white Oyster-catcher", "Seapie", "Olive", "Eugerie-bird", "Wongbird", "Redbill*", "Torea" ![]() Size: 42-50 cm Weight: ca. 740 g (average) |
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Similar |
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See Australian
Pied Oystercatcher at Wikipedia ![]() |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Near-frontal view of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher;
the short bill and the absence of dark flecks in the iris
indicate that this is a male
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Paynesville, VIC, April 2023]
Assuming that it does not have a stick up its backside, this is a
close-up near-frontal view of a male Australian Pied Oystercatcher
answering a call of nature
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Lateral view of a male Australian Pied Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Paynesville, VIC, April 2023]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a male(?) Australian Pied Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul wader roost, Brisbane, QLD, January 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a male(?) Australian Pied Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Sandy Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
Lateral view of a male(?) Australian Pied Oystercatcher, together with a
Sooty Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2018]
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FEMALE |
Close-up lateral view of a female Australian Pied Oystercatcher;
based on the dark speck in the iris and the length of the bill,
this is a female
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]
Close-up lateral view of a female Australian Pied Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
Lateral view of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Broadwater, Gold Coast, QLD, March 2019]
Comparison of a female Australian Pied Oystercatcher with a
Masked Lapwing
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]
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PAIR |
Pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers; the notably long bill
of the bird on the right indicates that it is a female
Lateral view of a pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, February 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers
[Myall Lakes NP,
NSW, June 2009]
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher
Resting Australian Pied Oystercatcher
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
The same Australian Pied Oystercatcher as shown above, stretching its wings
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
Near-dorsal view of two Australian Pied Oystercatchers
(photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Ronsard Bay, Cervantes, WA, July 2014]
Dorsal view of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher
[Near Old Bar, NSW, September 2011]
Small flock of Australian Pied Oystercatchers
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul wader roost, Brisbane, QLD, January 2018]
Direct comparison of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher with a
Sooty Oystercatcher
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, May 2014]
Comparison of Australian Pied Oystercatchers with a
Bar-tailed Godwit
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Esperance, WA, May 2011]
Lateral view of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher flying in
front of a breaking wave
[Point Plomer, Limeburners
Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]
Lateral view of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher in flight,
with a clear view of its underwing
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Metung, near Lakes Entrance, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]
Near-dorsal view of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher in flight
(photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
Comparison Australian Pied Oystercatcher vs. South Island Pied Oystercatcher
Direct comparison between a FEMALE
Australian Pied Oystercatcher, top, and a
South Island Oystercatcher,
bottom - note the latter's more slender and longer bill
(photos courtesy of M. Eaton, top, and B. Hensen, bottom)
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Australian Pied Oystercatcher chick on its first day out -
on the left a Terek
Sandpiper; the day the chick hatched the nest went under water
(photo courtesy of A. Allnutt)
[Wallaga Lake entrance, near Bermagui, NSW, December 2018]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jun - Jan | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 28 - 32 days | Fledging age: Precocial |
Given the right conditions - and depending on geographical latitude - Australian Pied Oystercatchers can breed almost any time of the year, except April.
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Mostly female | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Scrape | Material: Sandy soil | Height above ground: N/A |
Australian Pied Oystercatcher nest with 2 eggs in it
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Overview of the location of an Australian Pied Oystercatcher nest
with markers placed around it for protection
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Australian Pied Oystercatcher nest with one egg; a second egg was laid
after the photo had been taken
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Arm, Darwin, NT, August 2013]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 60 x 41 mm | Colour: Creamy, with dark-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
Close-up view of two Australian Pied Oystercatcher eggs
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Australian Pied Oystercatcher egg
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Arm, Darwin, NT, August 2013]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial? | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Solitary/pair |
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Food, Diet |
Pied Oystercatches feed on oysters and other shellfish that they pry loose with their powerful bills.
Australian Pied Oystercatcher feasting on a mussel
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Old Bar, NSW, December 2019]
Australian Pied Oystercatcher with its catch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Australian Pied Oystercatcher making sure there are no
leftovers in the shell
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Old Bar, NSW, December 2019]
This Australian Pied Oystercatcher was seen by us foraging ontop of a
sand dune,
rather than along the edge of water (there was salt water on one side of
the dune and a salt marsh of an estuary on the other)
[Near Old Bar, NSW, September 2011]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
pieoyst_20150818.m4a | (NE NSW) | Contact calls (Q&A; in-flight) | © MD | |
pieoyst_20150326_2.mp3 | (NE NSW) | ? (in-flight) | © MD |
More Australian Pied Oystercatcher sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.