Pied Oystercatcher

The Pied Oystercatcher, often referred to as the Australian Pied Oystercatcher, is a striking wading bird native to Australia's coastline. This species is easily identifiable by its contrasting black and white plumage, with black covering the head, chest, and back, and white predominantly on the belly. Its long, bright orange-red beak and matching legs add a vivid splash of color, making it a visually distinctive bird along the sandy beaches and rocky coastlines it frequents.

Despite their name, Pied Oystercatchers do not primarily feed on oysters. Instead, their diet mainly consists of a range of marine invertebrates, with a particular preference for bivalve mollusks. They are skilled foragers, using their robust beaks to expertly pry open shells to access the nutritious food inside.

These birds are typically found along the entire Australian coastline, where they inhabit sandy beaches, mudflats, and estuaries – environments that provide rich feeding grounds. During the breeding season, Pied Oystercatchers become territorial and can often be seen in pairs. They nest on the ground, usually in simple scrapes in the sand, where their eggs and chicks are camouflaged against predators.