Photo: New Zealand Oyster Catchers
Variable Oyster Catchers are easily recognizable on the coastline of New Zealand as they have black plumage, bright orange eyes and beak with a tinge of yellow at the tip.
Two Variable Oyster Catchers decide to take a stroll along the shore of Ocean Bay in the Marlborough District on the South Island of New Zealand in search of food. These types of birds are found exclusively around New Zealand and you can see these unique looking birds along the coastline of any of the islands.
Variable Oyster Catchers spend a great deal of time around the beach areas and in the mudflats as this is where they find most of their food which consists of crab, worms, snails and mollusks. Their long orange and yellow colored beaks aid them in stabbing shells to create holes or twisting them to crack them open.
The Variable Oyster Catcher are the only species with a completely black plumage but some of them may be black and white in color. Their orange colored eyes when looking at you are beautiful but at the same time, a little eerie looking.
Oyster catchers around New Zealand are very territorial and on the rare occasion have been seen forming flocks. ... continue below the picture...
New Zealand Oyster Catchers
Pictures from photo gallery "Pictures Of The Kea Parrot Bird"
This picture is part of the photo album "Bird Pictures" - there are more beautiful images waiting for you.
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New Zealand Oyster Catchers
... They usually breed in December and January and the females average three eggs which can take approximately three and a half to four weeks to hatch.When sitting along the beach in New Zealand, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for any Variable Oyster Catchers searching for food along the shoreline. You can spend hours watching these birds as they busily search for food and make an incredible amount of noise.
Variable Oyster Catcher, Haematopus unicolor, along the beach at Ocean Bay, Port Underwood, Marlborough District, South Island, New Zealand.
Technical Information:
I photographed this photo with the digital SLR camera model Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, aperture of f/6.3, exposure time of 1/500 sec. on ISO 400, as always I used a original Canon Lens, the focus lenght for this picture was 340mm.
Variable Oyster Catchers are easily recognizable on the coastline of New Zealand as they have black plumage, bright orange eyes and beak with a tinge of yellow at the tip.
