Oystercatchers In Ullapool

[Steven Gourlay]

Followed this Oystercather along the beach in Ullapool, nearly went over my ancle a few times on the single rocks. Again am not that happy with the photo, once i get my camera back from repair i will head down the beach for some better photos.

Do they actually eat oysters or is it just a name?

[Steven Gourlay]

Here is a useful link Rebel

http://www.pwlf.org/blackoystercatcher.htm

Hi Rebel ...

To answer your question a little more fully .. Oystercatchers rarely eat Oysters .. they may have done so once & probably would do so again, given chance but most Oysters in UK are now farmed (think Loch Fyne) so there's little opportunity for them being allowed to compete for a valuable "cash crop" ..

The coastal Oystercatcher tends to eat Cockles, Mussels, Limpets, Lugworms etc ... whilst those further inland will go for Earthworms, Grubs, Larvae etc ..

They're interesting Birds in so far as the young are taught either of two feeding methods by the parents .. they become either "Probers" or "Chisellers" & will develop a unique beak shape suitable for each method .. & once the method has been established it does not change and will be passed on to successive generations .. ..

The "Probers" (usually the inland Birds) develop a pointed beak for probing soft ground .. whilst the coastal "Chisellers" have a more "squared off" tip to the beak, enabling them to "hammer" at the hinged shells of Molluscs & Bi-valves .. However, it's not a hard and fast rule that all coastal Birds are "Chisellers" .. there are coastal "Probers" too .. but very few (if any) "Chisellers" live any distance inland ..

As the feeding behaviour is learned from both parents it seems to suggest that Male "Chisellers" are only attracted to Female "Chisellers" and "Probers" to "Probers" .. though I must confess to not knowing how scientific that theory is ..


Hope the explanation helps ..

Bye for now ..

Kev ..