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Haematopus ostralegus
The Eurasian Oystercatcher is the most widespread of the oystercatchers, with three races breeding in western Europe, central Eurasia, Kamchatka, China, and the western coast of Korea. No other oystercatcher occurs within this area.The bill shape for this bird can vary: oystercatchers with broad bill tips open mollusc; pointed-bill birds dig up worms.
Coastal moorland.
From Wikipedia: "Because of its large numbers and readily identified behaviour, the Oystercatcher is an important indicator species for the health of the ecosystems where it congregates. Extensive long-term studies have been carried out on its foraging behaviour, in northern Germany, in the Netherlands and particularly on the River Exe estuary in south-west England. These studies form an important part of the foundation for the modern discipline of behavioural ecology".
3 Comments
Lovely!
Thanks Marta. These were omnipresent in Iceland, sometimes quite far from the coast.
these are lovely too!