For sure one of the coolest looking shorebirds to call New York Harbor home during the spring and summer is the American Oystercatcher. Of all the shorebirds that hangout along the shore, this one is the most unmistakable and easiest to identify. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean. It’s a rather large bird with bold black, brown and white feathers. It has pale pinkish legs with sunny yellow eyes and rosy orange-red eye rings. Its most brilliant feature, though, is the bird’s long bright red-orange bill. No other bird around these parts has a groovy looking bill like that. It’s a crafty feathered fisherman. The bird will use its long bill to clasp a clam or oyster before it can close up. The bird will then stab its bill into the shell to cut the strong muscle that holds the two halves of the shell together, and then it will stab the soft critter inside to enjoy a tasty mollusk meal. Spend some time observing an oystercatcher and you will quickly notice the bird uses its strong, sharp, dagger-like beak to prey open more than just oysters, which are hard to find in the harbor since populations of oysters are low. Clams, mussels and other shellfish and sea stars are on the menu along with worms and small sea creatures of the intertidal zone. The good news is the bird is back in town. Not just one either, but several oystercatchers have been seen this past week flying into local beaches. Some migrate far from wintering territories along the coastal strip of the southeastern United States. Others might migrate shorter distances preferring to spend the winter in South Jersey or Delaware. Oystercatchers return to wherever they can find a safe place to rest and eat. The same must be said for their breeding territories. Oystercatchers more often than not seem to return to the same breeding beaches to raise a family. As long as the nesting site is safe with a rich abundance of food. Yet, breeding was not the first thing on the minds of many oystercatchers that just migrated into the harbor estuary. These poor birds were hungry. Several pairs were observed running along the shore looking for food. Luckily the tide cycle was perfect for foraging, between half tide and ebb. As the tide receded, the birds foraged among the wet sand and shallow water, searching for food by sight. Finding a clam here and crab there.
Soon the birds will get down to business and begin breeding activities. Oystercatchers prefer to make nests on long, wide sandy beaches, but will also nest in tidal mudflats, wetlands, or even dredge spoil pits. The birds favor sites that are near groups of nesting gulls, terns and other shorebirds, but always keeping their distance. Oystercatchers are gregarious, but highly territorial. They will make their characteristic “kleep, kleep. kleep” call or different types of noises to any critter, especially other oystercatchers, who get to too close to their nesting territory. While numbers of oystercatchers declined dramatically in the past due to hunting and habitat loss, there are dozens of nesting pairs around New York Harbor today due to improved conservation efforts to protect dune and beach ecosystems, especially at well-protected parks including Sandy Hook and Breezy Point, both part of Gateway National Recreation Area. Despite these efforts, more needs to be done. The bird is still struggling to survive in many seaside locations. The American oystercatcher is a species of special concern in several coastal states including New York and New Jersey, and is listed as a bird of national conservation concern by the Audubon Society. In addition to protecting more beach habitat, we need conduct more research on how oystercatchers live and feed towards creating a comprehensive conservation effort. This will help in the slow recovery of the truly unique looking American oystercatcher.
37 Comments
Loretta Tietjen
7/3/2016 08:24:12 pm
I saw this bird at Jones Beach on 7/2/16. I had never seen this before. Thank you for the information on this site.
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SusanSusa
8/26/2018 11:37:36 am
We just spottd 2 Oystercatchers at Long Branch beach in NJ!
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Churchill
8/31/2019 03:46:05 pm
Just saw a few in Wareham MA
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Lauren
9/12/2020 04:55:24 pm
I been walking on the Lido beach ny I see a lot of these. Beautiful birds Clovers Too. Love to watch them by the water !
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James
10/10/2021 11:15:45 am
I too see them at lido and on Long Beach, where I live. I’m not understanding why they say this bird is making a come back. They’re all over
Ciaran McMahon
12/6/2020 04:50:50 pm
Saw them yesterday 5th December 2020 at Scotsman’s Bay
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Jen
5/2/2021 02:58:53 pm
Saw one of these down on the coast in Long beach, NY on 4/25/21.
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Dee
7/8/2021 09:53:42 am
I live in the eastend of long beach ny near pacific Blvd. The oyster catchers are here. Not too many people care about these magnificent birds. I have been experiencing the birds and their day to day life AND AMAZING SOUNDS.
Linda
7/15/2021 04:03:01 pm
Seeing the oystercatchers now in Ocean Grive,
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Laurie DeMark
8/13/2021 12:53:12 pm
We saw an oystercatcher today (8/13/2021) at Ocean Grove, NJ!!! STUNNING!!!
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Terry
9/9/2016 01:57:11 pm
Just saw a pair on the Larchmont coast 9/9/16
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P
8/11/2018 09:57:46 am
Saw quite a few of them yesterday on mid-Sound islands off of New Rochelle.
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William Shumway
3/14/2019 05:41:14 pm
We have seen a few on Grand Turk TCI ,the past few days. BEAUTIFUL BIRDS
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Jon
6/6/2019 11:06:49 am
Just saw one at Riis Park!
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James and Sharon
6/13/2019 09:54:28 am
Not in NY but a beautiful pair was here in Spring Lake NJ yesterday on the south beach. may be headed up north.
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Adrienne Rubin
7/21/2019 09:16:01 am
There a quite a few on Atlantic Beach.
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Mary Kuna
7/31/2019 05:10:00 pm
I came across a pair yesterday at the beach at resorts hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. Thank you for the information. They are beautiful. Hope to see them more often.
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Joanne Farash
8/2/2019 08:49:09 am
We saw one in New York, Jones Beach field 2. It had a very distinct sound. That's what made me look to see what it was. Very cool!!
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Jean M Sorrentino
3/29/2020 09:29:10 am
This bird seen long beach ny
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David
4/24/2020 11:09:16 am
Saw several pair at Jacob Riis Beach between the public entrance to the beach and Breezy on 4/24/20. Counted at least 8 pair.
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Jenny Penny
5/5/2020 05:23:37 pm
Just saw some in Rockaway Beach // Riis Park on May 5, 2020 - so loud!
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Allison Moore
5/22/2020 01:16:18 pm
There's a pair in Ocean Grove/Bradley Beach, NJ too
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Rob B
7/4/2021 11:45:55 pm
Saw two Oystercatchers yesterday (July 3 2021) on the beach in Bradley Beach, New Jersey.
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Joshua Sabatini
8/8/2020 07:55:32 pm
Just saw a 4 pack at the VIP beach club. Never the saw those before. 8/7/20.
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Joshua sabatini
8/8/2020 07:56:50 pm
Sorry. In New Rochelle, NY on the Long Island Sound.
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Bette Miller
8/19/2020 02:09:00 pm
My husband and I saw 4 oystercatchers on a jetty at Ocean Grove yesterday August 18, 2020. First time I ever saw the beautiful birds. They appeared to be eating sand crabs.
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Virginia
9/14/2020 06:36:15 pm
Spotted one at Point Lookout, NY yesterday, didn't see any others in the vicinity. Thank you for helping me to identify it!
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Paul Platt
4/15/2021 10:33:20 am
Got some pictures of 3 of them at Smiths Point on 4/14/21
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Jillian Cancellieri
7/2/2021 05:26:18 pm
We just saw some in Atlantic City last weekend!! 7/02/2021
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birdwatcher
7/3/2021 04:47:42 pm
saw one Sat am 7-3-21 Milford CT Walnut beach i/2 tide
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John
8/1/2021 09:45:47 pm
Watched one today at Spring Lake, NJ beach today
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Jeff
8/2/2021 01:26:02 am
Saw 3 yesterday on the beach between Rober Moses and Kismet on Fire Island.
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Lesley
8/15/2021 06:22:33 pm
Saw 2 of these beautiful birds on Spring Lake NJ beach today. First time I’ve ever seen them. Very chatty birds!
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Matt Skove
4/9/2022 02:19:04 pm
4/9/22.
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Paul Hrabsky
4/23/2022 09:23:48 am
Recently witnessed a couple on the Coast Guard Bird Sanctuary in Wildwood, New Jersey.
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STOP THE WILLIAMS FRACKED GAS PIPELINE THROUGH NY HARBOR! MY TOP 5 FAVORITE BOOKS ABOUT NY HARBOR 1. Field Guide to the Neighborhood Birds of New York City by Leslie Day 2.Heartbeats in the Muck by John Waldman 3. The Fisheries of Raritan Bay by Clyde L. MacKenzie Jr. 4. Waterfront: A Walk Around Manhattan by Phillip Lopate 5. The Bottom of the Harbor by Joseph Mitchell Archives
January 2018
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