| Oystercatchers | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Western Black Oystercatcher | ||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||
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| Genus | ||||||||||
| Haematopus |
The Oystercatchers are a group of waders in the family Haematopodidae . They are large obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong flattened bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions. They are all-black, black and white or brown and white in appearance.
Their eggs are laid in a shallow scrape on shingle.