From Opus

Photo by jenygard
Runde, Norway, June 2003

Haematopus ostralegus

[edit] Identification

• Black above
• White below
• White wing and tail patches
• Red legs
• Strong broad red bill
• Winter - white band across the throat interrupting the otherwise black neck
• Juvenile - brown with white neck band and dull bill. Bill is still growing after they reach the ability to fly.

[edit] Distribution

Immature
Photo by beverley
Skomer Island, Wales, July 2010

Widespread throughout Eurasia and Africa.

Rare migrant on Greenland. Accidental vagrant to Newfoundland (several records).

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

There are 3 subspecies^[1]:

• H. o. ostralegus - Iceland and Scandinavia to south Europe; winters to Africa
• H. o. longipes - Russia to Siberia and south to Caspian Sea and Aral Sea
• H. o. osculans - Kamchatka Peninsula and North Korea; winters east China

[edit] Habitat

Beaches and coast in winter. Breeds in upload grassy areas.

[edit] Behaviour

Likely winter plumage, notice the white neck band
Photo by Reels
Edinburgh, Scotland, 2010

[edit] Diet

The diet includes molluscs, mussels and earthworms.

[edit] Breeding

They nest in a scrape on pebbles which may be on the coast, riverside or in grassy fields and even upland moors. The clutch consists of 2-4 eggs which are coloured buff to yellow possibly with a greenish tint; there are variable markings of streaks and spots from greyish to black.

There is a single clutch, usually in May.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Wikipedia
3. Observers Book of Birds Eggs

• List of references

[edit] External Links