African Black Oystercatcher

About the African Black Oystercatcher

The African oystercatcher or African black oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini) is a large charismatic wader resident to the mainland coasts and offshore islands of southern Africa. This oystercatcher has a population of over 6,000 adults, which breed between November and April. The scientific name moquini commemorates the French naturalist Alfred Moquin-Tandon who discovered and named this species before Bonaparte.

The African oystercatcher is a large, noisy wader, with completely black plumage, red legs and a strong broad red bill. The sexes are similar in appearance, however, females are larger and have a slightly longer beak than males. Juveniles have soft grey plumage and do not express the characteristic red legs and beak until after they fledge. The call is a distinctive loud piping, very similar to Eurasian oystercatchers. As the Eurasian oystercatcher is a migratory species they only occur as a vagrant in southern Africa, and its black-and-white plumage makes confusion impossible.

Body Length: 42–45 cm (17–18 in) Wingspan: 80 and 88 cm (31 and 35 in) Mass: ♂ 665 g (1.466 lb) ♀ 730 g (1.61 lb) Tarsus: 50.6 to 60.8 mm (1.99 to 2.39... Wikipedia →