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9

Australian Pied Oystercatcher

(Haematopus longirostris)
Alternate name(s): "Pied Oystercatcher", "White-breasted Oyster-catcher", "Black-and-white Oyster-catcher", "Seapie", "Olive", "Eugerie-bird", "Wongbird", "Redbill*", "Torea"
Aboriginal name(s): "ngakurn ngakurn" [tjapwurrung]; "kornkorn" (WA)

Size: 42-50 cm
Weight: ca. 740 g (average)

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Australian Pied Oystercatcher at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

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]

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]

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)

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]

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

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]

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]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial? Mobility: Dispersive Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

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]

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 .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.