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Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Near Threatened (IUCN Red List)Oystercatchers
Eurasian Oystercatcher, photographed by Stephan Sprinz

Photo: Stephan Sprinz · Wikimedia · CC-BY 4.0 (licence)

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Call and song

About the Eurasian Oystercatcher

Common, conspicuous, and often noisy large wader (shorebird) of varied coastal habitats, especially beaches and mudflats; also nearby fields and locally inland. Winter flocks number locally in hundreds. Probes in mud and uses its bill to pry open shellfish (mainly mussels and cockles, not oysters). Distinctive, with boldly pied plumage, long bright orange-red bill, thick pinkish legs. In flight shows broad white wing stripe, white rump and tail with broad black tail tip.

Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 · How these pages are made

Where it has been recorded

Recorded in 114 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.

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