Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus Linnaeus, 1758

Haematopodidae — Oystercatchers

Eurasian Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus, is a wader in the oystercatcher family and breeds across the north-west, south-west and central Palearctic, with a further breeding area in the far north-east Palearctic. Outside the breeding season it occurs on the coasts of Africa and in the Oriental Region. It is the most widely distributed oystercatcher, and no other member of the group breeds within its range. The sexes look alike, though the female has a longer bill than the male. It was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Haematopodidae — Oystercatchers
Breeding range
Palearctic: nw, sw, c Palearctic; far ne Palearctic
Nonbreeding range
coastal AF, OR
Eurasian Oystercatcher
© Pieter Delicaat · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0