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South Island Oystercatcher
(Haematopus finschi)
: "South Island Pied Oystercatcher", "Finsch's Oystercatcher"
Size: 44-48 cm; wing span 80-86 cm
Weight: 550 g (average)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
South Island Oystercatchers are medium-sized shorebirds.
They have all black-and-white plumage. Head, neck and upperparts
(mantle, wings and uppertail) are black, while the underparts
(chest, belly, vent and underwing coverts) are white. The eye-rings
and bill are bright red, while the legs and feet are pink.
Juvenile
South Island Oystercatchers have mottled grey-brownish
to black upperparts.
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Twitcher's tip |
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South Island Oystercatchers have a comparatively longer bill and
shorter, stouter legs than Australian Pied Oystercatchers.
The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the
Calidris, Tringa, Actitis and
related families or of the Charadrius, Pluvialis and related genera
in the field can be quite tricky. We have therefore made an attempt to
give some advice HERE.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See South
Island Oystercatcher at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the South Island Oystercatcher is available
HERE
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South Island Oystercatchers are mostly endemic to New Zealand and
only occasionally migrate long-distance. They breed on New Zealand's
South Island and disperse to the North Island outside the breeding
season.
In Australia, South Island Oystercatchers are occasionally found as
vagrants on Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and rarely along the
continental Australian East coast, from about Sydney, NSW, in the
South, to Brisbane, QLD, in the North.
South Island Oystercatchers breed on braided inland river beds, fallow fields
and pasture in New Zealand's South Island. Outside the breeding season
they move to sandy beaches
and spits, primarily on the North Island.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
B. Hensen reports spotting South Island Oystercatchers at Moseley Park
Swamp, Lord Howe Island, in November 2014.
All photographic and sighting information presented
on this page has kindly been contributed by B. Hensen.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of a South Island Oystercatcher; note the characteristic
long, orange bill (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Moseley Park Swamp, Lord Howe Island, November 2014]
Lateral view of a South Island Oystercatcher being hassled by a
Magpie-lark
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Moseley Park Swamp, Lord Howe Island, November 2014]
Near-dorsal view of the same South Island Oystercatcher as above;
during take-off one can see the distinctive broad white wing band,
with inner secondaries white to the edge (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Moseley Park Swamp, Lord Howe Island, November 2014]
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)
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.