American Oystercatcher
American OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Channel Islands National Park
98 Verified records at Channel Islands 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 →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 98 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Channel Islands National Park

Black Oystercatcher

Black Oystercatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus bachmani

10–20% · With luck
Western Gull
LC

Western Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus occidentalis

70–80% · Very likely
California Gull
LC

California Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus californicus

30–40% · Possible
Heermann's Gull
NT

Heermann's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus heermanni

20–30% · Possible
Killdeer
NT

Killdeer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius vociferus

20–30% · Possible
Ring-billed Gull
LC

Ring-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus delawarensis

20–30% · Possible
Willet

Willet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa semipalmata

20–30% · Possible
Elegant Tern
NT

Elegant Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus elegans

20–30% · Possible
Hudsonian Whimbrel

Hudsonian Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius hudsonicus

20–30% · With luck
Long-billed Curlew
LC

Long-billed Curlew

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius americanus

10–20% · With luck
Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

10–20% · With luck
Forster's Tern
LC

Forster's Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna forsteri

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
5–10
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
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 Channel Islands National Park?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 98 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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

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

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