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Haematopus bachmani

Audubon, 1838

Black Oystercatcher

G5Secure Found in 94 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). © Blair Dudeck; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Blair Dudeck; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). © Michael Long; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Michael Long; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). © Joey Hausler; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Joey Hausler; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). © Sarah Sharp; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Sarah Sharp; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). © Dorian Anderson; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Dorian Anderson; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). © Van Pierszalowski; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Van Pierszalowski; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103385
Element CodeABNNC01020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyHaematopodidae
GenusHaematopus
Other Common Names
Huîtrier de Bachman (FR) Ostrero Negro (ES)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Haematopus palliatus, the American Oystercatcher, and H. bachmani are closely related and considered conspecific by some authors; they form a hybrid zone about 200 miles in width in central Baja California (AOU 1983). H. bachmani and H. palliatus were regarded as distinct species by Jehl (1985) and Sibley and Monroe (1990); see DeBenedictis 1990 for contrary view.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-08
Change Date1996-11-25
Edition Date2008-01-04
Edition AuthorsGotthardt, T. A., and G. Hammerson. Rev. by David Tessler, Alaska Dept. Fish and Game
Range Extent200,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 80,000 to >1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Range Extent Comments
Resident along Pacific Coast from Kiska Island, Aleutians, Alaska, south to Baja California, Mexico. Most breed between south-coastal Alaska and coastal British Columbia (Andres and Falxa 1995, Morrison et al. 2001).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations).
Threat Impact Comments
The Black Oystercatcher's small population size and complete dependence upon a narrow coastal band throughout their life cycle make this species vulnerable to human and other mammalian disturbance (Andres and Falxa 1995). Scientific collecting, human disturbance, and mammalian predation are responsible for the extirpation of breeding pairs on small islands off the coast of Baja California (Jehl 1985). On Channel Island, California, human disturbance and feral cat predation caused breeding pairs to abandon nest sites (Warheit et al. 1984).

Oystercatchers have reestablished themselves in areas shortly after disturbance is removed. For example, 20 breeding pairs were reestablished within 5-7 years after major disturbances by humans and domesticated animals were removed on South Farallon Island, California (Ainley and Lewis 1974 in Andres and Falxa 1995). Similarly, breeding pairs increased within 7 years after lighthouse automation on Destruction Island, Washington (Nysewander 1977 in Andres and Falxa 1995). Eradication of foxes on several Aleutian islands, Alaska, resulted in recolonization by this species (Byrd 1988, Byrd et al. 1997).

Human-induced habitat alteration may have been responsible for local extirpation from islands around Sitka, Alaska, where numbers declined from 102 birds in 1940 to 4 birds in 1985 (Andres and Falxa 1995).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A relatively large, all-black shorebird, with a heavy, bright-red bill typical of oystercatchers. Bright yellow iris with orange-red orbital ring in adults; sturdy, pale pink legs. Females have longer, narrower bills and heavier bodies (Andres and Falxa 1995).

Habitat

Breeding: Habitat is exclusively associated with the high tide margin of the inter-tidal zone, and includes mixed sand and gravel beaches, cobble and gravel beaches, exposed rocky headlands, rocky islets, and tidewater glacial moraines. The southern limit of their range coincides with a change of rocky shores to sandy beaches (Jehl 1985). Breeding territories are usually in close proximity to dense mussel beds. Avoids brushy and forested habitats. Breeding density is generally greatest on non-forested islands and islets. Nest is a shallow circular depression on the ground (e.g., scrape on beach of broken shell) or on a rock (Groves 1984). The retreat of glaciers, which expose gravel moraines, and uplift from earthquakes can create new oystercatcher nesting habitat (Lentfer and Maier 1995, Gill et al. 2004).

Non-breeding: In winter, flocks concentrate on protected, ice-free tidal flats with dense mussel beds (Hartwick and Blaylock 1979).

Ecology

Winter flocks seldom range more than 30 miles from nesting sites (Terres 1980), except in northern populations (Andres and Falxa 1995). Obligate users of intertidal zone year-round. Period from hatching until time of first flight is critical life-history stage (Groves 1984).

Reproduction

Eggs laid late May-early July (generally early to mid-June) in Alaska, mid-May to late June (generally mid-June) in Washington/Oregon, early May-late June (generally late May) in southern California (L'Hyver and Miller 1991). Clutch size 1-4 (usually 2-3). Incubation 26-27 days, by both sexes. Nestlings precocial but dependent on parental feeding for several weeks (both sexes feed young). Chicks begin to fly at 35+ days. Long-term mate fidelity. See Terres (1980), Groves (1984), Purdy and Miller (1988).
Terrestrial Habitats
Bare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlaskaS2B,S2NYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonS4Yes
OregonS3Yes
Roadless Areas (94)
Alaska (78)
AreaForestAcres
AnanTongass National Forest36,666
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
ChichagofTongass National Forest555,858
Chilkat-West Lynn CanalTongass National Forest199,772
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-13Chugach National Forest13,337
Chugach-13Chugach National Forest13,337
Chugach-13Chugach National Forest13,337
Chugach-14Chugach National Forest184
Chugach-14Chugach National Forest184
Chugach-14Chugach National Forest184
Chugach-15Chugach National Forest56
Chugach-15Chugach National Forest56
Chugach-16Chugach National Forest312
Chugach-16Chugach National Forest312
Chugach-17Chugach National Forest19,954
Chugach-17Chugach National Forest19,954
Chugach-3Chugach National Forest27,386
Chugach-3Chugach National Forest27,386
Chugach-8Chugach National Forest21,559
Chugach-8Chugach National Forest21,559
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Douglas IslandTongass National Forest28,065
Exit Glacier DonutChugach National Forest126
Exit Glacier DonutChugach National Forest126
FanshawTongass National Forest48,248
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
HardingTongass National Forest174,349
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
Juneau-Skagway IcefieldTongass National Forest1,187,268
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Mansfield PeninsulaTongass National Forest54,991
MontagueChugach National Forest204,875
MontagueChugach National Forest204,875
MontagueChugach National Forest204,875
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
North ClevelandTongass National Forest105,288
North KupreanofTongass National Forest114,660
Port AlexanderTongass National Forest120,681
Prince William Sound Is.Chugach National Forest118,698
Prince William Sound Is.Chugach National Forest118,698
Prince William Sound Is.Chugach National Forest118,698
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Sitka SoundTongass National Forest13,459
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
Soda BayTongass National Forest78,091
South KruzofTongass National Forest55,193
Suemez IslandTongass National Forest19,903
Taku-SnettishamTongass National Forest664,928
Tenakee RidgeTongass National Forest20,527
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Windham-Port HoughtonTongass National Forest161,952
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
California (2)
AreaForestAcres
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
Oregon (10)
AreaForestAcres
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Washington (3)
AreaForestAcres
Madison CreekOlympic National Forest1,223
Madison CreekOlympic National Forest1,223
Mt. BaldyOlympic National Forest3,557
References (47)
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