Oystercatcher

Scientific name

Haematopus ostralegus

Gaelic name

Gille-Brighde

Physical Description

Oystercatcher are black and white birds, with a long, orange-red bill and pink legs.

They can weigh 400 to 700 (= 12 tennis balls) and can stand 40 to 45 cm tall.

They can live up to 36 years.

Feeding

On coasts: mussels, oyster, shellfish which they can open with their strong bill.

In land: mainly worms.

Behaviour

Oystercatcher use to live in estuaries, coastal lagoons and also inland un  fields, near the river.

They move in February and come back to the coast in July.

They are very noisy, their song sounds like repeated "pik-pik-pik".

Threats

Oystercatchers are threatened by oil spills.

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