Pied Oystercatcher

Image from: John Gould (1804-81) The birds of Australia 1840-48. 7 vols. 600 plates Artists: J. Gould and E. Gould; Lithographer: E. Gould.

Pied Oystercatcher Photo: H and J Beste/Nature Focus © Australian Museum

Pied Oystercatcher Photo: © K and P Rowland

Haematopus longirostris

Description

The Pied Oystercatcher is shy of humans and seldom allows close approach. It is mostly silent when feeding but may utter a whistled 'peepapeep' or 'pleep-pleep' when in flight. All oystercatchers have a bright orange-red bill, eye-rings and legs and a red eye. Young birds are similar in appearance to the adults, but lack the intense red-orange colour and are more brown instead of black. The size ranges from 48 - 51 cm. The white breast and belly distinguish the Pied Oystercatcher from the closely related Sooty Oystercatcher, H. fuliginosus, which has all black plumage.

Habitat and Distribution

The Pied Oystercatcher is found in coastal areas throughout the Australian continent except for areas of unbroken sea cliffs such as the Great Australian Bight. It prefers mudflats, sandbanks and sandy ocean beaches and is less common along rocky or shingle coastlines. Although rarely recorded far from the coast, the Pied Oystercatcher may occasionally be found in estuarine mudflats and short pasture. Pied Oystercatchers have probably declined throughout much of their range and the current population may be as low as 10,000. Closely related forms are found in almost every continent in the world.

Food and feeding

Oystercatchers feed on bivalve molluscs, which are prised apart with their specially adapted bills. Food is found by sight, or by probing their long, chisel-shaped bills in the mud. Young Pied Oystercatchers are one of the few waders that are fed by their parents using this specialised feeding technique. Worms, crustaceans and insects are also eaten.

Pied Oystercatcher egg © Australian Museum

Breeding

The Pied Oystercatcher breeds in pairs from October to January each year (earlier in the north of Australia). A breeding territory of some 200 m is formed and is defended by both birds. Nesting takes place on sand, shell grit or shingle just above high water mark on beaches, sandbars, margins of estuaries and lagoons. The two or three eggs are well-camouflaged, being pale brown with darker brown and black blotches and streaks. Both sexes share parenting duties.

References

• Marchant, S. and Higgins, P.J. (eds) 1993. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Vol 2. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
• Pringle, J.D. 1987. The Shorebirds of Australia. Angus and Robertson/National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife, Sydney.