# Eurasian Oystercatcher (*Haematopus ostralegus*) The Eurasian Oystercatcher is a striking black and white bird with a long orange beak. They love to live near the coast where they can find tasty shellfish to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Eurasian Oystercatcher](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Haematopus_ostralegus_He.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haematopus_ostralegus_He.jpg) ## Appearance The Eurasian Oystercatcher has striking black and white plumage, often with a white belly and black back. Its most distinctive features are its long, bright orange-red bill, pink legs, and a vivid red eye. This stocky shorebird stands out easily. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Haematopodidae - **Genus:** Haematopus ## Interesting facts - During winter, thousands of these birds gather in massive flocks on coastal mudflats. - Some Oystercatchers are homebodies, staying in the same coastal spot their whole lives! - They can live a surprisingly long time, some wild birds reaching over 30 years! - Young Oystercatchers need over a year to master the tricky skill of opening shellfish! ## Special abilities - **Beak Hammer:** Eurasian Oystercatcher can use its strong, chisel-shaped bill to pry open or hammer shellfish for food. - **Eagle Eye Vision:** Eurasian Oystercatcher has excellent eyesight that helps them spot hidden worms or shellfish in the sand. - **Loud Alarm Call:** Eurasian Oystercatcher can make piercing, whistling calls that help them warn others or claim their territory. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-45 cm - **Wingspan:** 76-86 cm - **Weight:** 0.42-0.82 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-30 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 26-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding They feast on tasty mussels, cockles, and worms dug from the sand along the shore. - **Age differences:** Juveniles must learn specific techniques for opening shellfish, which takes practice and time. - **Primary Foods:** mussels, cockles, limpets, marine worms, crabs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Hunts adults and juveniles. - **Eaten by:** [Great Black-backed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-black-backed-gull) (*Larus marinus*) — Preys on eggs and chicks. - **Eats:** Common Mussel (*Mytilus edulis*) — Pries open shells for food. - **Eats:** Lugworm (*Arenicola marina*) — Probes sand to find these worms. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a bird's nest, be careful not to disturb it. Always watch birds from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eurasian Oystercatcher? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Eurasian Oystercatcher? 40-45 cm ### What is Eurasian Oystercatcher's wingspan? 76-86 cm ### How much does Eurasian Oystercatcher weigh? 0.42-0.82 kg ### How long does Eurasian Oystercatcher live? 10-30 years ### How fast can Eurasian Oystercatcher move? 65 km/h ### What does Eurasian Oystercatcher eat? They feast on tasty mussels, cockles, and worms dug from the sand along the shore. ### Where is Eurasian Oystercatcher usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lower-saxony-wadden-sea-national-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park - [Zoo Heidelberg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-heidelberg) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Zoo - [Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hamburg-wadden-sea-national-park) — Hamburg, DE · Park - [Naturpark Schlei](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-schlei) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park - [Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schleswig-holstein-wadden-sea-national-park) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park - [Barayo Partial Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barayo-partial-nature-reserve) — Principado de Asturias, ES · Park [View all places to see Eurasian Oystercatcher](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eurasian-oystercatcher) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Eurasian Oystercatcher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-oystercatcher)