Black Oystercatcher
Haematopus bachmani
Also known as: American Black Oystercatcher, Bachman's Oyster-Catcher, White-Legged Oyster-Catcher
About This Species
This all-black shorebird is a fixture of rocky shorelines along the Pacific coast of North America, where it uses its long orange-red bill to pry mussels and limpets from exposed rocks at low tide. Its loud, piercing calls often announce its presence before it comes into view against dark, wave-washed rocks. Low tide periods, when rocky intertidal zones are exposed, offer the most reliable viewing as birds actively forage.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Keep a distance of at least several meters when birds are feeding or resting, and be especially cautious near rocky ledges where nests can be difficult to spot among the substrate.
- Migratory bird protections apply in both the United States and Canada across this species' range, making it illegal to disturb active nests.
- Avoiding travel across exposed rocky habitat during the spring and summer breeding season reduces the risk of accidentally flushing a nesting pair.
LCAvesCharadriiformesHaematopodidae
Seasonal Activity
398,434 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Haematopodidae
Photo
(c) Donna Pomeroy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Donna Pomeroy
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.