Eurasian Oystercatcher

The Eurasian oystercatcher is one of the largest waders in its range, 40–45cm long including a bill of 8–9cm, with a wingspan of 80–85cm. It is an obvious, noisy bird with striking black-and-white plumage, pink legs, red eyes and a long, strong orange-red bill. The sexes look alike, but the female's bill is longer. In winter adults briefly show a white throat collar, which young birds keep for longer. In flight it shows white patches on the wings and tail against black upperparts (Wikipedia, general species account).

It uses its broad bill to smash or prise open molluscs such as mussels and to find earthworms; despite its name, oysters form little of its diet. It is the most widespread oystercatcher, with four subspecies breeding in western Europe, central Eurosiberia, Kamchatka, China and western Korea, and is migratory over most of its range. In India it is a winter migrant with a restricted range. SoIB 2023 finds a current fall of about 9% a year and rates it a High conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).