Chatham oystercatcher
Chatham oystercatcher | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Charadriiformes |
Family: | Haematopodidae |
Genus: | Haematopus |
Species: | H. chathamensis
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Binomial name | |
Haematopus chathamensis Hartert, 1927
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The Chatham oystercatcher or Chatham Island oystercatcher (Haematopus chathamensis) is a species of
Description
The Chatham oystercatcher has distinctive black and white plumage and a long, thick orange-red beak. The head, neck, breast, back, wings and tail are black. The lower underparts are white with an unclear demarcation on the breast. The irises are red and the eyes have orange orbital rings. The short, thick legs are pink. Adults are about 48 centimetres (19 in) in length.[2]
Distribution
The Chatham oystercatcher is only found on the Chatham Islands, an archipelago about 680 kilometres (420 mi) south east of New Zealand. Each of the four main islands has small breeding populations.
Behaviour
The Chatham oystercatcher feeds on
The nest is built on the beach on sandy or rocky shores and consists of a simple scrape. Sometimes it is built among low vegetation and may be rather more elaborate. Two or three eggs are usually laid. Young birds left their birth territory about 33 days after fledging.[3] Juvenile birds become mature at about three years of age, and the lifespan is about eight years.[4] The success rate of each pair averages 0.44 fledglings per breeding season, with flooding the main cause of egg loss.[3]
Status
In the late 1980s, the total population was less than 110 birds, and was feared to be declining.
References
- . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ISBN 978-84-87334-20-7.
- ^ ISBN 0-478-22683-7.
- ^ a b Moore, P.J. (2014). "Conservation assessment of the Chatham Island Oystercatcher Haematopus chathamensis" (PDF). International Wader Studies. 20: 23–32.
- ^ "Haematopus chathamensis". NZTCS. 2016. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
External links
- Department of Conservation page about the species
- "Chatham Island oystercatcher recovery plan 2001-2011" (PDF). Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand. 2001. Retrieved 2007-09-19.