Oystercatchers are in their own family, the Haematopodidae which I believe means blood-footed. The adult's distinctive bright red bill is used like a knife to shuck bivalves, but Oystercatchers are also reported to swallow whole limpets and regurgitate the shells in the form of pellets. Females have a longer bill than males. This individual with dark bill tip is immature. Its dull red iris and complete dull orange orbital ring suggest it is SY (second calendar year) hatched in 2017. Hockey et al (2108) lump this species with the South Island Oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi) of New Zealand.
