American Oystercatcher
American OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Coiba National Park
42 Verified records at Coiba National Park
August Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), occasionally called the American pied oystercatcher, is a member of family Haematopodidae. Originally called the "sea pie", it was renamed in 1731 when naturalist Mark Catesby claimed that he had observed the bird eating oysters. The current population of American oystercatchers is estimated to be 50,000 – 99,999 mature individuals. There are estimated to be 1,500 breeding pairs along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the US. The bird is marked by its black and white body and a long, thick orange beak. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in Coiba National Park, based on 42 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Coiba National Park

Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

40–50% · Possible
Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

30–40% · Possible
Semipalmated Plover
LC

Semipalmated Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius semipalmatus

10–20% · With luck
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

10–20% · With luck
Willet

Willet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa semipalmata

10–20% · With luck
Laughing Gull
LC

Laughing Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus atricilla

10–20% · With luck
Black Tern
LC

Black Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias niger

10–20% · With luck
Hudsonian Whimbrel

Hudsonian Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius hudsonicus

Insufficient data
Brown Noddy
LC

Brown Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous stolidus

5–10% · With luck
Sanderling
LC

Sanderling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris alba

5–10% · With luck
Bridled Tern
LC

Bridled Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychoprion anaethetus

5–10% · With luck
Wandering Tattler

Wandering Tattler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa incana

5–10% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
10–20
Feb
20–30
Mar
10–20
Apr
20–30
May
30–40
Jun
30–40
Jul
30–40
Aug
20–30
Sep
30–40
Oct
10–20
Nov
20–30
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
70–80%
2 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
70–80%
3 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
20–30%
4 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
20–30%
5 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
6 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
7 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
8 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
9 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
10 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
11 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
12 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
13 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
14 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
15 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
16 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
17 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
18 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
19 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Insufficient data
20 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
21 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
22 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
23 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
24 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
25 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
26 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
27 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
28 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a American Oystercatcher in Coiba National Park?

About 25% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in Coiba National Park, based on 42 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see American Oystercatcher in Coiba National Park?

August has the highest sighting rate for American Oystercatcher in Coiba National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Coiba National Park