Kōrero: Wading birds

Variable oystercatchers

Variable oystercatchers

Variable oystercatchers breed in coastal sites, unlike the South Island pied oystercatcher. Consequently they are less migratory, often staying close to their breeding area all year. They breed around the mainland coasts and Stewart Island. This pair has pure black plumage, but there is considerable variation within the species. All are black above, but some have a speckled black-and-white belly, and others have a pure white belly, making them hard to distinguish from the pied oystercatcher. However, the pied morph of the variable oystercatcher has a more blurred boundary between the black chest and white belly, and lacks the white strip between the chest and the folded wing seen on the South Island pied oystercatcher.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Department of Conservation
Reference: 10055589
Photograph by Paul Schilov

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero
Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Gerard Hutching, 'Wading birds - Oystercatchers', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/photograph/9152/variable-oystercatchers (accessed 28 September 2023)

He kōrero nā Gerard Hutching, i tāngia i te 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 17 Feb 2015