oystercatcher eating cockle (1 Viewer)

[marnixR]

a few days ago i saw this oystercatcher playing around with what looked like a cockle or a similar type of bivalve - the place was Porthmadog in Gwynedd

is this common behaviour ? i thought oystercatchers specialised in digging for worms

 

[moose1991]

Have a read
http://www.myscience.eu/martijn/pdfs/vandePol_etal_2009_Ardea.pdf

 

[Nutcracker]

They're not called 'Oystercatcher' for nothing!

Cockles and mussels are a major diet item for them :t:

That stout bill is excellent for hammering them open.

 

[marnixR]

oh well, you learn something every day - I was under the impression that the oyster part of oystercatcher was a misnomer

 

[marnixR]

Have a read
http://www.myscience.eu/martijn/pdfs/vandePol_etal_2009_Ardea.pdf

thanks - interesting article !

 

[John Cantelo]

..... and hence the old English name Mussel Cracker.

 

[Oruga]

What interesting, they change the length and shape of their bills (rhamphotheca, of course) depending on their current diet.
http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/002829685x00109