ML170428321
oystercatcher sp. Haematopus sp.
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Media notes
Unidentified oystercatcher is indicated by red line, photo shows under-wing.
Observation details
One oystercatcher observed notably shorter than the others. Via sharing photos to the Australian Bird Identification group on Facebook, discussion there notes that the following features are suggestive of South Island Pied Oystercatcher influence: upper wing pattern; under wing pattern; shorter legs; smaller head. However the bill appears more reminiscent of Australian Pied Oystercatcher, being not as fine or long as expected for SIPO. Although hybrid (SIPO x APO) and north-west Australian PO are possibilities it seems the available photographs are insufficient to firmly ID this bird. Bird first photographed a week earlier by Dave Sin. It should be noted that while I can't guarantee it is the same bird indicated in every photo, I did photograph every individual bird in this flock and I covered approx 5km of shoreline with only a single other pair of APOs seen. One other bird (APO) had a limp and one was minus a foot and these were different birds than the individual bird shown here. It would seem likely the indicated bird is in fact the same bird between photos.
Technical information
- Dimensions
- 846 pixels x 529 pixels
- Original file size
- 18.58 KB