Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Black Oystercatcher

 
Black Oystercatcher

(Haematopus bachmani)

The Black Oystercatcher is an eye-catching black bird seen on the shores of western Canada and USA and part of Mexico. It is found from the Alaska Aleutian Islands to the southern coast of the Baja California.

This bird is the only example of the family (Haematopodidae) covering most of its area, joining slightly beside the American Oystercatcher (Haematopodidae palliatus) on the shores of Baja California. Locally, it is mostly mentioned to as the Black Oystercatcher, even though this name is likewise used regionally for the African  Oystercatcher and also the Blackish Oystercatcher.

Although the species is not thought to be in danger, its world population is estimated between 9,000 to 11,000.

It feeds on offshore invertebrates, especially mollusks like chitons, mussels and limpets. It will also eat barnacles, crabs and malacostracan crustacean.

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