Bird guidePied Oystercatcher

Pied oystercatchers frequent sandy coastlines, where they feed mainly on bivalve molluscs , which are prised apart with their specially adapted bill.

⚠️VIC: Endangered; WA: Rare

At a glance

FamilyOystercatchers
SizeTiny
RarityCommon
HabitatUsually coastal, but sometimes found on wetter pastures close to the coast.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from October to March.

Sounds

Sound sample
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Recorded by Romuald Mikusek

Range map

Range map

2234visible hotspots
203953visible records
6states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Usually coastal, but sometimes found on wetter pastures close to the coast.

Behavior

It is a wading bird native to Australia and commonly found on its coastline . Pied oystercatchers are most commonly observed to feed in pairs, or small flocks, concentrating hunting efforts on a single area along shorelines of rocky beaches. They nest in shallow scrapes made in open areas near the shore and produce 2–3 eggs in a typical clutch .

Regional timing

Western Australia
Peak: July to December28,157 records
Victoria
Peak: October to March50,299 records
New South Wales
Peak: August to March51,244 records
Northern Territory
Peak: July to October3,359 records
Tasmania
Peak: October to February34,131 records
Queensland
Peak: June to March40,718 records
South Australia
Peak: October to November15,183 records
Australian Capital Territory
Peak: July to August127 records
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