American Oystercatcher
American OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Galápagos Islands
1,834 Verified records at Galápagos Islands
October 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 Galápagos Islands, based on 1,834 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Galápagos Islands

Brown Noddy
LC

Brown Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous stolidus

60–70% · Likely
Lava Gull
Endemic

Lava Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus fuliginosus

40–50% · Likely
Ruddy Turnstone
NT

Ruddy Turnstone

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Arenaria interpres

40–50% · Possible
Swallow-tailed Gull
LC

Swallow-tailed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Creagrus furcatus

40–50% · Possible
Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

30–40% · Possible
Wandering Tattler

Wandering Tattler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa incana

30–40% · Possible
Hudsonian Whimbrel

Hudsonian Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius hudsonicus

30–40% · Possible
Semipalmated Plover
LC

Semipalmated Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius semipalmatus

20–30% · Possible
Black-necked Stilt
Endemic

Black-necked Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus mexicanus

20–30% · Possible
Least Sandpiper
NT

Least Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris minutilla

10–20% · With luck
Sanderling
LC

Sanderling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris alba

10–20% · With luck
Black-bellied Plover
VU

Black-bellied Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pluvialis squatarola

5–10% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
20–30
Feb
10–20
Mar
20–30
Apr
30–40
May
20–30
Jun
20–30
Jul
10–20
Aug
20–30
Sep
30–40
Oct
20–30
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 Galápagos Islands?

About 25% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 1,834 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see American Oystercatcher in Galápagos Islands?

October has the highest sighting rate for American Oystercatcher in Galápagos Islands in our monthly data.

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