Haematopus palliates                                              Photo Chris Burney ©

Species of Special Concern

The American oystercatcher is a large shorebird with striking black-and-while plumage, a bright orange bill and a yellow eye. 

Oystercatchers nest in Florida between March and July, primarily on isolated beaches and dredge-spoil islands. Beach development and increased human activity on beaches has caused Florida’s population of oystercatchers to decline to a point where the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has listed them as a Species of Special Concern.

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