Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Common residents of 113,000 breeding pairs in Britain.

Also breeds in North West Europe.

Winters in large flocks south to South Africa, & Britain.

Adults are black and white plumage, pink legs and a strong broad red bill used for smashing or prising open molluscs such as mussels or for finding earthworms.

The sexes are similar in plumage but the female has a longer bill than the male.

The winter plumage differs slightly from the breeding plumage in having a white throat collar.

In flight, they have white patches on the wings and tail, otherwise black upperparts, and white underparts.

Juveniles are more brown, have a white neck collar and a duller bill.

The call is a distinctive loud piping.