| American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) |
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The American Oystercatcher is found from the USA to Chile and Argentina. Unlike Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus it is strictly coastal. | |||
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The wings and back are dark brown which contrasts with the black head and neck. In flight, the wing-bars are shorter than the Eurasian Oystercatcher and there is no white inverted V up the back. It feeds on a variety of molluscs and crabs and uses a variety of techniques such as hammering, tabbing, probing and prising to open up its prey. |
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Photo 6 shows a juvenile bird with darker bill and duller eyes and legs. There are illustrations in HBW, Volume 3, Pages 316, 319 and 320; and Shorebirds, Plate 6. |
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