Haematopus moquini
The African Oystercatcher occurs only along the coastline of Namibia and South Africa (mainly the Cape Provinces and only sporadically into Kwazulu-Natal) where they frequent the intertidal zone on rocky and sandy beaches, estuaries, lagoons and coastal wetlands looking for molluscs (mostly mussels and limpets) and other aquatic invertebrates.
With an average weight of around 730g, females are slightly larger than males. Adults have a wingspan of about 80cm.
While non-breeding individuals can congregate in flocks of up to 200 birds, especially at roosts, breeding pairs of African Oystercatchers are territorial and monogamous and may stay together for as long as 25 years. They breed in spring and summer, with a peak over December and January, which makes them especially vulnerable to disturbance by holiday makers. Nests are located on rocky islands or beaches and is little more than a bare scrape above the high-water mark. Despite the meagre appearance of the nest the eggs are extremely well camouflaged. Both parents take turns to incubate the clutch of 1-3 eggs for between 4 and 5 weeks, with the chicks leaving the nest as soon as they are a day or so old. Chicks fledge when they are about 6 weeks old but can remain with their parents for up to 6 months.
Today, the IUCN considers the African Oystercatcher as being of least concern, with an increasing population size thanks to improved conservation measures (such as banning 4×4 driving on beaches). It is estimated that there is now around 6,700 of them, which is probably about double the number that existed in the 1970’s, and their conservation status could recently be upgraded from “near-threatened”. Birdlife South Africa has designated the African Oystercatcher as the 2018 Bird of the year – good places to see them is the Agulhas, Garden Route and Table Mountain National Parks.
DeWetsWild 
Ek het gister lank na ons Europese variasie gestaan en kyk… pret! 😉
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Hulle is baie interessante voels!
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Handsome fellow.
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That they are, Jean! Welcome here!
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Before I opened the post, I tried to guess what an oystercatcher’s bill would look like. Yup! I guessed right … exactly like the blade of an oyster knife!
In spite of its austere black feathers, it is an interesting bird with its bright eyes, legs, and bill.
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You would make an excellent biologist, Joanne!
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hehehe! That’s not what my husband, Mr Science, says 😉
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😀
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It´s very beautiful! 🙂
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Most definitely!
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Interessant Dankie!
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Dankie vir die inloer, Tina!
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Such a beautiful bird.😊 I like the contrast between the black body and the orange red beak. I have never seen that bird before.
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Thanks John. Does the Eurasian Oystercatcher occur in your part of the world?
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Yes, but it´s very different then that you have. “ours” is black and white, but the beak look same. The two last pictures in this post an Eurasian oystercatcher https://www.fotobloggarna.se/faglar/ejdrarna-i-tosteberga/
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From time to time a wide-ranging Eurasian Oystercatcher will make its way to South Africa, causing great excitement among local birdwatchers!
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Hi guys. The photos show how well the oystercatcher’s dark colouring camouflage it so well on the dark rocks. I think I have only ever seen these on the Cape Rocky shores.
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Hi Kim! Yep, the Cape Coast really is their stronghold, but we were lucky to have also seen one at Mission Rocks between St. Lucia and Cape Vidal on a recent trip there!
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I haven’t been up the north coast for a long time. I’ll look out for them on my next trip up there. It’s normally the route I take on the drive up to Kruger Park, north up to Pongola then west towards Piet Retief, north to Ermelo, Barbeton, Kruger. Haven’t done that trip in a while!
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Now I’ve really worked up an appetite for another roadtrip, Kim! 😀
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Love the color of the bill and eyes. No hiding them!
janet
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“Cryptic colouration? Not for us, thank you!”
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Het die eier raakgesien – maar net danksy die vorige foto waar die outjie op die nes sit.
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Skerp oe, Tannie Frannie!
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The beak and eyes are so big! Great shots!
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Thanks a lot!
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they are quite eye-catching with their red ‘trim.’ Very pretty bird.
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They do look very smart!
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