African Black Oystercatcher {Haematopus moquini}

The African Black Oystercatcher also known as African oystercatcher, is a large wader which is a resident breeder on the rocky coasts and islands of southern Africa. Listed as an endangered bird the black oystercatcher has a population of less than 5,000 adults.

The African Black Oystercatcher is the largest of the Oystercatcher species. It is a large and noisy plover-like bird, with jet black plumage, pinkish/red legs and a strong broad dagger-like red bill which it uses for smashing or prying open molluscs such as mussels, or for finding earthworms. The eyes and eye rings are red. The Black Oystercatcher is unmistakable in flight with its impressive all-dark plumage. The sexes are similar in appearance, but juveniles are browner than adults. Females are larger and heavier with longer bills.

Quick Facts

Name: Haematopus moquini
Size: 42 - 45 cm
Weight: The male weighs an average of 660g and the female weights 720g when fully grown.

Habitat: The African black oystercatcher inhabits rocky and sandy shores, and sometimes estuaries and coastal lagoons. It prefers to breed on offshore islands and sandy beaches. It is found along the southern African coast from northern Namibia to the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa.

Diet: Black Oystercatcher eat limpets and mussels (not oysters). They can only feed at low tide and do so at day and night. Because of their highly selective feeding area they are more susceptible to human activity than most shore birds. Disregarded or entangled fishing line is particularly lethal to oystercatchers as they easily become entangled in it.

Socialisation: African Black Oystercatchers are territorial throughout the year, however, during the non-breeding period they have been observed to form aggregations or roost in clubs. This is thought to function in predator avoidance as clubs are usually situated on offshore rocks or promonitories with good all-round visibility. These clubs tend to contain more birds at night when predation risk is greater.

Reproduction: The nest is a bare scrape on pebbles or shingles. The female generally lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated by both adults. The Oystercatchers breeding season coincides with summer and summer holiday periods when use of the coast is usually at its peak. As a result, in many areas birds are unable to breed successfully, due to disturbance and increased predation risk as a result of disturbance. Although they may live for 35 years they do not breed until they are three years old.