American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)

Extirpated from New Jersey by the beginning of the 20th century, these oystercatchers recolonized starting in the 1940's and are now locally fairly common again. In winter they sometimes form large flocks. Their distinctive bright red bills are used like a knife to shuck bivalves, but they also swallow whole limpets and regurgitate the shells in the form of pellets. Sometimes lumped with Black Oystercatcher and Eurasian Oystercatcher, this is presumably the widespread nominate race.