American Oystercatcher
American OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve
102 Verified records at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve
November 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 →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, based on 102 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve

Black Oystercatcher

Black Oystercatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus bachmani

5–10% · Rare
Western Gull
LC

Western Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus occidentalis

60–70% · Likely
Willet

Willet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa semipalmata

50–60% · Likely
Ring-billed Gull
LC

Ring-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus delawarensis

40–50% · Likely
Marbled Godwit
VU

Marbled Godwit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Limosa fedoa

40–50% · Likely
Long-billed Curlew
LC

Long-billed Curlew

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius americanus

30–40% · Possible
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

30–40% · Possible
Greater Yellowlegs
NT

Greater Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa melanoleuca

30–40% · Possible
Western Sandpiper
LC

Western Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris mauri

30–40% · Possible
Killdeer
NT

Killdeer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius vociferus

20–30% · Possible
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

20–30% · Possible
Least Sandpiper
NT

Least Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris minutilla

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
10–20
Feb
10–20
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
10–20
Sep
10–20
Oct
20–30
Nov
10–20
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 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve?

About 12% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, based on 102 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see American Oystercatcher in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve?

November has the highest sighting rate for American Oystercatcher in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.

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