[Length 17.5 in. Wingspan 32 in.]

This American Oystercatcher in flight was photographed at Stone Harbor, New Jersey. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: July 1988)

[Length 17.5 in. Wingspan 32 in.]

The Black Oystercatcher is a medium sized shorebird which is a resident of rocky coasts in North America from the Aleutian Islands to Baja California. It is quite distinctive with its dark, brownish black body, pinkish legs, and bright red, knifelike bill. It uses its bill to first pry shellfish and other prey from the rocks, and then to chisel them apart to get at the soft inner contents. This Black Oystercatcher was photographed along the rocky shore in Monterey, California. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: November 1981)

[Length 17.5 in. Wingspan 32 in.]

This Black Oystercatcher was photographed along the rocky shore in Monterey, California. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: November 1981)

[Length 17.5 in. Wingspan 32 in.]

This pair of Black Oystercatchers was photographed on Middleton Island in the Gulf of Alaska. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: May 1984)

[Length 17.5 in. Wingspan 32 in.]

This Black Oystercatcher in flight was photographed on Middleton Island in the Gulf of Alaska. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: May 1984)

[Length 16.5 in. Wingspan 32.5 in.]

This Eurasian Oystercatcher was photographed at Sand, Mainland, Shetland, Scotland, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: June 1, 2004)

[Length 16.5 in. Wingspan 32.5 in.]

This Eurasian Oystercatcher was photographed at Spiggie Beach, Mainland, Shetland, Scotland, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: June 2, 2004)

[Length 16.5 in. Wingspan 32.5 in.]

This Eurasian Oystercatcher was photographed at Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland, Scotland, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: June 6, 2004)