American Oystercatcher
American OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherAmerican Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Ostional Wildlife Refuge
47 Verified records at Ostional Wildlife Refuge
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 →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in Ostional Wildlife Refuge, based on 47 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

40–50% · Likely
Willet

Willet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa semipalmata

30–40% · Possible
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

30–40% · Possible
Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

30–40% · Possible
Hudsonian Whimbrel

Hudsonian Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius hudsonicus

20–30% · Possible
Semipalmated Plover
LC

Semipalmated Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius semipalmatus

20–30% · Possible
Ruddy Turnstone
NT

Ruddy Turnstone

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Arenaria interpres

10–20% · With luck
Sanderling
LC

Sanderling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris alba

10–20% · With luck
Least Sandpiper
NT

Least Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris minutilla

10–20% · With luck
Southern Lapwing
LC

Southern Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus chilensis

5–10% · With luck
Black-bellied Plover
VU

Black-bellied Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pluvialis squatarola

5–10% · With luck
Northern Jacana
LC

Northern Jacana

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Jacana spinosa

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
5–10
Feb
5–10
Mar
5–10
Apr
5–10
May
<5
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
<5
Sep
10–20
Oct
5–10
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 Ostional Wildlife Refuge?

About 9% of wildlife watchers report a American Oystercatcher sighting in Ostional Wildlife Refuge, based on 47 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see American Oystercatcher in Ostional Wildlife Refuge?

October has the highest sighting rate for American Oystercatcher in Ostional Wildlife Refuge in our monthly data.

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