African Oystercatcher
Haematopus moquini
Coastal bird on rocky shores. Red bill and legs.
Oystercatchers
LC
Near Endemic
Description
Common near-endemic resident. The only entirely black shorebird with red bill, eyes and legs. Immature is browner. Normal call ‘klee-weep, klee-weep’; alarm call a sharp ‘ki-kik-kiks’. Occurs singly or in small groups on rocky coastlines, estuaries and coastal lagoons. Is most common on the Cape and Namibian coastlines, but is threatened by human disturbance of habitat.
Quick Facts
Size
51 cm - L
Names
A: Swarttobie
Z: unozila
Ss: Sejakgofu Se Sentsho
G: Schwarzer Austernfischer
Bird Family
A group of striking black or pied birds with red bills and legs. Their long, strong bills are perfect tools for prying open molluscs and probing in the mud for insects, worms or small crustaceans. Pairs can be very territorial, noisily defending the nest (which is a shallow scrape on the ground) with a piping, plover-like call. Their flight is rapid and direct.
Distribution
Gallery
Behaviour
Breeding
Habitat
Occurs singly or in small groups on rocky coastlines, estuaries and coastal lagoons.
