American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)

Order: Charadriiformes | Family: Haematopodidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

amrican_oystercatcher
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown |Loc. Coastal Peru

amrican_oystercatcher
Age: Adult & Juvenile | Sex: Unknown |Loc. Coastal Peru

amrican_oystercatcher
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown |Loc. Coastal Peru

Identification & Behavior: ~42.3 cm (17 in). The American Oystercatcher has a black and white plumage and a long bright red/orange bill. The back is brownish-black and may vary in worn plumage. It nests on sandy beaches and feeds on marine invertebrates. The large, heavy bill is used to pry open bivalve mollusks. The bill shape and color resemble that of the closely related Blackish Oystercatcher.

Status: The American Oystercatcher is closely tied to sandy beaches and similar coastal habitats where it is generally fairly common. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, Bo, Ch.

Name in Spanish: Ostrero Americano

Sub-species: American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Temminck, 1820.

Meaning of Name: Haematopus: Gr. Haima= blood; pous= foot. palliatus: cloaked, camouflaged. A bird with red feet and a distinctive camouflage-like plumage in back.

Go to the Family Haematopodidae

Distribution Map
Voice

References:

- Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum. http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 10/18/2014.

Sitewide References.