Eurasian Oystercatcher
Photo: Andreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5

Oystercatchers

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

NTNear Threatened
Family
Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae)
Order
Charadriiformes

Overview

The Eurasian oystercatcher or European oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), also known as the common pied oystercatcher, or (in Europe) just oystercatcher, is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It has striking black and white plumage, a long straight orange-red bill, red eyes and relatively short dull pink legs. The sexes are similar in appearance but the bill of the female is longer than that of the male.
It is the most widespread of the oystercatchers, with four subspecies breeding in western Europe, central Eurosiberia, Kamchatka, China, and the western coast of Korea.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to see it

Destination guides featuring this bird

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.