Oystercatcher

The oystercatcher is something of a misnomer, as they rarely eat oysters. They are waders that feed predominantly on barnacles, limpets, cockles, mussels and other bivalves  These pretty but noisy birds have acquired some interesting local names. In Welsh they are called Piodin Y Môr, or ‘magpie of the sea’. They have long, heavy beaks and these beaks give a clue as to what feeding method they employ. If they have a sharp pointed bill, they favour jamming their beak into bivalves and cutting the muscle that holds it closed, which is a risky business as, if they get it wrong and the bivalve clamps shut on the beak, they can end up drowning. The other method is hammering their way into the crustaceans, which leads to a blunt tip to their beaks. The baby oystercatcher will learn the best method from the parent birds, who they will follow around over many weeks copying the technique they see Mum and Dad employing.