The orbital ring of an oystercatcher is orange-red
This exotic looking bird is called an American oystercatcher, and it can be found in North, Central, and South America. This bird has a distinctive large orange beak that is used to access and consume shellfish. Obviously, oystercatchers catch oysters, but what else do they catch? These birds will eat clams, mussels, sea urchins, crabs, and starfish. However, oystercatchers don’t always win their battles. When an oystercatcher eats a bivalve like a clam, they use their beak to tear the muscle that clamps the shell closed. If oystercatchers do not succeed tearing that muscle, the bivalve will actually clamp shut over the beak of the oystercatcher. If the bivalve is anchored strongly in place, it can actually hold the bird captive, and await the rising tide that will inevitably drown the bird.
How can you tell if it is an American oystercatcher? Besides the large orange beak, these birds will be brown and white feathered. The white coloration is usually on the belly, and the brown coloration on the top. Their heads are black and their legs are pink. Finally, American oystercatchers have a yellow eye with an orange-red ring around it. This “ring” is called a bird’s orbital ring. It is the skin immediately surrounding the bird’s eye.
There is a related species that looks similar to the American oystercatcher, called the Black oystercatcher. As the name suggests, this bird is essentially an all black colored version of an oystercatcher, found on the west coast of the United States.
You can catch these birds nesting between April and July. American oystercatchers make shallow nests in the sand. The female oystercatcher will typically only lay a couple eggs. The color of the eggs blends in very well with the sand. Both the male and female oystercatchers will keep the eggs warm for about a month before the chicks hatch.
Oystercatchers nest between April and July
The bird on the right appears to have an ID tag on its leg
This photo was taken at Egmont Key State Park in Florida. This small island is only accessible by boat. Fortunately, Egmont Key sits at the mouth of Tampa Bay, so it is not far from the mainland. There are no park fees, and it is open 365 days a year. In addition to the island being a state park, it was also designated a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974.
Take a Closer Look
You can see the bird on the right has something in its bill. This same bird also appears to have an ID tag on its leg.
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