Oystercatchers

Haematopodidae

 

    

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A Field Guide to Eastern Birds. by Roger Tory Peterson.

 

 

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Oystercatchers are large, strikingly marked birds of the worlds beaches, shores, and saltmarshes. The bills are usually stout and strong and are used to open mussels and clams. They feed on a variety of mollusks, but also capture crustaceans and marine worms. There are 7 species worldwide. Two species occur in North America and only a single species is found in eastern North America.

 

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

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