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American Oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
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About the American Oystercatcher
The American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), occasionally called the American pied oystercatcher, is a member of family Haematopodidae. Originally called the "sea pie", it was renamed in 1731 when naturalist Mark Catesby claimed that he had observed the bird eating oysters. The current population of American oystercatchers is estimated to be 50,000 – 99,999 mature individuals. There are estimated to be 1,500 breeding pairs along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the US. The bird is marked by its black and white body and a long, thick orange beak.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Haematopus palliatus
- Family
- Oystercatchers
- Order
- Charadriiformes
Similar species
Other members of the oystercatchers family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
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