American Oystercatcher
Where to Look
- Rocky shorelines
- Beaches
Related Galapagos Species
Wandering Tattler
Identification
Unmistakable. The only oystercatcher in the Galapagos.
Description
A large pied shorebird with a black head and neck, brown upperparts, white underparts, bright red eye-ring and bill, pale pink legs and feet and a yellow eye. Sexes are alike. Juveniles are similar to adults but have black tips to their bills and paler brown upperparts.
Galapagos Distribution
Found on coastlines throughout the main archipelago, but most common on larger islands.
Global Distribution
A wide ranging oystercatcher with populations stretching from the NE USA south along the coastline all the way to southern Argentina and from California S to southern Chille.
Status in the Galapagos
An uncommon resident. The subspecies which occurs, H.p. galapagensis, is endemic to the Galapagos and one of five subspecies world wide.