Blackish Oystercatcher
Haematopus ater
Silhouette: terngirl · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyHaematopodidae (Oystercatchers)
- GenusHaematopus (Oystercatchers)
- SpeciesHaematopus ater (Blackish Oystercatcher)
About the Blackish Oystercatcher
The blackish oystercatcher (Haematopus ater) is a species of wading bird in the oystercatcher family Haematopodidae. It is found in Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands and Peru, and is a vagrant to Uruguay. The population is estimated at 15,000–80,000.
The blackish oystercatcher's plumage is slaty-black with wings and back rather dark brown. The long bill is blood-red and the legs are white. The sexes are similar in appearance. The bird is easily overlooked on a rocky shore, its dark colour blending with the rocks on which it walks as it forages, and it does not draw attention to itself. Its presence, however, can easily be detected by its loud and distinctive warning calls. Its song, when given in duet, consists of an excited chatter of piping whistles. Calls include notes that sound like "pip" and "peeeeyeeee".
The blackish oystercatcher is native to the coasts of Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands and Peru, and it is a vagrant to Uruguay. Its natural habitats are rocky shores. It feeds in the intertidal zone on rocky shorelines, in rockpools and on pebble beaches. Rarely, it can be found on sandy beaches hunting for mole crabs... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Blackish Oystercatcher in Península Valdés
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Península Valdés
American Oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus
Magellanic Oystercatcher
Haematopus leucopodus
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
Snowy Sheathbill
Chionis albus
South American Tern
Sterna hirundinacea
Dolphin Gull
Leucophaeus scoresbii
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
Southern Lapwing
Vanellus chilensis
Brown-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus maculipennis
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensis
Baird's Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Paracas National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blackish Oystercatcher in Península Valdés?
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Blackish Oystercatcher sighting in Península Valdés, based on 317 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blackish Oystercatcher in Península Valdés?
November has the highest sighting rate for Blackish Oystercatcher in Península Valdés in our monthly data.