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Eurasian Oystercatcher
(Haematopus ostralegus)
: "Common Pied Oystercatcher", "Palaearctic Oystercatcher",
"White-breasted Oystercatcher", "Black-and-white Osytercatcher",
"Oystercatcher"
 German name(s): "Austernfischer"
Size: 40-45 cm, incl. bill (6.5-9 cm); wing span 80-85 cm
Weight: 480 g (average)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Eurasian 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
Eurasian Oystercatchers have a prominent white neckband. The
wing coverts and back are brownish-sooty, not black, the bill
is pale with an extensive dark tip and the legs are greyish.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Eurasian
Oystercatcher at Wikipedia  .
Click here for classification information
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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 based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the
ebird.org
website.
The global distribution of the Pied Oystercatcher is available
HERE
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There are 3 races of Eurasian Oystercatchers, which are a
partly migratory species.
Nominate race
"ostralegus"
is resident only along large parts
of the European West coast (including Iceland and the British
Isles). Elsewhere they (and the other two races) are migratory.
In summer race
"ostralegus"
extends its breeding range into
northern England, Scotland, the rest of the Icelandic coastline
and basically the entire near-coastal fringe of Scandinavia
(including the Baltic Sea) and of European Russia.
They spend the northern winters anywhere in coastal regions
from the Gulf of Biscay down the Iberian coastline and on to
the western African coastline, the Tunisian and western Libyan
coastline and the coastline of Macedonia and southern Greece,
as well as the Nile delta and the eastern African coastline
to Somalia, and across the Red Sea along the coastline of
Yemen.
The western/central Asian race "longipes"
breeds from to the North of the Black Sea eastwards, into
mid-latitude western and central Asia, on both sides of
the Caucasus mountains and along the North coast of the
Caspian Sea, as far to the East as the western Mongolian
border. They spend the winters anywhere from eastern Oman,
around the Persian Gulf, the Iranian and Pakistani coast,
around the Indian subcontinent and on to the border of
Bangladesh with Burma.
The far-eastern race "osculans" breeds in (near-)coastal
areas of central eastern China northwards to far-eastern
Russia (but not Korea) and on Sakhalin. They spend the
winters along the southern half of hte Chinese coastline,
to just to the South of the border with Vietnam.
In Europe only Eurasian Oystercatchers of the nominate race
"ostralegus" are found. They are sedentary only
along parts of the Icelandic coastline, the coastline of the
British Isles and associated smaller islands, the North Sea
coast of the Benelux countries and north-western Germany,
the Bretagne in western France, some locations along the
Iberian North coast and parts of the Cote d'Azure in the
South of France. There is also a permanent population along
the eastern part of the Greek coastline and the West coast
of Asia Minor.
Along the rest of the Iberian and French Atlantic coastline
they are winter visitors.
They breed the rest of the European coastline, including the
Baltic Sea and the entire Norwegian Atlantic coastline.
Thus, across Europe they are not found anywhere inland.
Outside the breeding season, Eurasian Oystercatchers stay
only in coastal habitats. During the breeding season they
not only extend their range farther northward, but also
into inland freshwater habitats of eastern Europe and
western to central Asia.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "ostralegus"
M. Eaton reports spotting an Eurasian Oystercatcher, nominate race
"ostralegus", at Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018.
More Eurasian Oystercatchers, nominate race
"ostralegus", was found by M. Eaton at Land's End and near
Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, in September 2019.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by M. Eaton.
Race "longipes"
An Eurasian Oystercatcher, race
"longipes", was previously found by us in
Oman.
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Photos |
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Race "ostralegus"
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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Frontal view of an adult Eurasian Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Near-lateral view of an Eurasian Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Lateral view of a juvenile Eurasian Oystercatcher
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]
Race "longipes"
Photos of an Eurasian Oystercatcher, race
"longipes", were taken by us in
Oman.
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.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
