Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Pied Oystercatcher

Haematopus longirostris

Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 9 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

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The Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) is a member of the Haematopodidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 614 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Haematopodidae Oystercatchers
Genus Haematopus
Species longirostris

Where it lives

Coastal far eastern Lesser Sundas, Tanimbar and Kai Is. (southeastern Moluccas), coastal Australia and Tasmania

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 614 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Haematopodidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Pied Oystercatcher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Pied Oystercatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) is a species of bird in the Haematopodidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU coastal far e Lesser Sundas, Tanimbar and Kai Is. (se Moluccas), coastal Australia and Tasmania.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 614 g, with a wing length of about 27.5 cm and a tail of around 10.6 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 855,000 km².

Songs & calls

Pied Oystercatcher — Alarm call, wing beats

Recorded by Romuald Mikusek Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Pied Oystercatcher?

The Pied Oystercatcher is a large bird that weighs around 614 g.

Where does the Pied Oystercatcher live?

The Pied Oystercatcher is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU coastal far e Lesser Sundas, Tanimbar and Kai Is. (se Moluccas), coastal Australia and Tasmania, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Pied Oystercatcher belong to?

The Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) belongs to the Haematopodidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Pied Oystercatcher eat?

The Pied Oystercatcher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Pied Oystercatcher migrate?

The Pied Oystercatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Pied Oystercatcher endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Pied Oystercatcher make?

1 real field recording of the Pied Oystercatcher — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Pied Oystercatcher's range?

The Pied Oystercatcher has a mapped global range of about 855,000 km².