Pied Oystercatcher
A lovely, brightly coloured wading shorebird with a long orange beak, black head, neck and back and white belly. The Pied Oystercatcher is a social bird found usually in pairs or in larger flocks, particularly in winter.
Where to See the Pied Oystercatcher
The Pied Oystercatcher is commonly seen on Tasmanian coasts, shallows and mudflats, and is more common in Southern Tasmania
The Neck
The Neck is the thin isthmus connecting the broader land bodies of North and South Bruny it is bound by the shallow Simpsons Bay and D'Entrecasteaux Channel to the west and the sweeping sandy neck beach and Adventure Bay to the East
Cycling
North Bruny Loop
3 hours return
43.5km loop from Roberts point, 107.5km return from Hobart return
Bruny Island Coastline
Bruny Island has an intricate, complex, beautiful and varied coastline, ranging from sheltered inlets, shallow bays, mudflats, lagoons, and grand sea-cliffs, through to long sandy ocean facing beaches.
Pied Oystercatcher
Haematopus longirostris
Oystercatchers
A brightly coloured prominent shorebird with long orange coloured beak, orange rimmed eye, black head, neck and back, with white belly, and white wing-bands in flight.
480-510mm
The Pied Oystercatcher is easily differentiated from the Sooty Oystercatcher through its white belly and white tail. It has a long 5-8cm orange coloured beak and distinctive white stripes on its wings when flying.
Pied Oystercatchers don't begin breeding until 7 years of age, and are very social birds, usually found in pairs or flocks - particularly in winter.
A shorebird which prefers beaches, estuaries and mudflats
Insects, invertebrates, worms, and bivalve molluscs
Pied Oystercatchers nest in a shallow on or behind beaches and lay 2-3 eggs. Couples protect their young and often nest in the same area annually.
The Pied Oystercatchers is found throughout Tasmania's coasts, particularly in Southern Tasmania, and can also be found in mainland Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. Closely related birds can be found in most continents across the globe.
Protected
The increase use of beaches by humans has resulted in lower breeding success and declining numbers. Pied Oystercatchers' nests are vulnerable to disturbance from 4wds on beaches, from people walking above the high-tide mark, and from dogs
A beautiful piping call, 'keleep'.
On coastlines, mudflats and estuaries, particularly in southern Tasmania. On Bruny Island - Simpsons Bay or the Neck Beach are places where the bird can commonly be seen
Conservation efforts for the Pied Oystercatcher are focussed on improving awareness of the threats to the nesting sites of these birds, protecting their nesting sites, reducing disturbance and better protecting their habitat. Conservation groups working on protecting the Pied Oystercatcher include BirdLife Australia
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The Neck
The Neck is the thin isthmus connecting the broader land bodies of North and South Bruny it is bound by the shallow Simpsons Bay and D'Entrecasteaux Channel to the west and the sweeping sandy neck beach and Adventure Bay to the East
Walks
Neck Beach
15 minutes - 4 hours. Depending on how far you walk along the beach! return
250m - 10km return
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