The sooty oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus) is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading bird endemic to Australia and commonly found on its coastline. It prefers rocky coastlines, but will occasionally live in estuaries. All of its feathers are black. It has a red eye, eye ring and bill, and pink legs.
John Gould described the sooty oystercatcher in 1845. Its species name is the Latin adjective fuliginosus, "sooty". Two subspecies are recognised, the nominate from the coastline of southern Australia and subspecies ophthalmicus from northern Australia. The southern subspecies is larger and heavier than the northern.[2] The northern one, with a more yellowish eye ring, is found from the Kimberleys across the top of the country to Mackay in central Queensland. There is considerable overlap, as the southern subspecies has been found up to Cape York.[3] Subspecies ophthalmicus has been thought distinctive enough to warrant species status and needs further investigation.[4] Black redbill is a local name.[5]
Measuring 42 to 52 cm (16.5 to 20.5 in) long with a bill length of 5–8 cm (2–3 in), the sooty oystercatcher has all black plumage,[5] with pink-red legs and scarlet or orange-red bill and eyes.[3] The heaviest of all oystercatchers, the sooty oystercatcher weighs up to 980 g (2.16 lb), averaging around 819 g (1.806 lb),[6] with females larger and heavier in both subspecies.[2] Males have shorter, thicker bills and females have longer, thinner bills. The 19% average difference in length is the most marked of any oystercatcher species.[7] Immature birds have grey-brown legs, a bill tipped with brown, a browner cast to their plumage,[5] and brown eyes. The bill, eyes and legs become red by the second year.[3]
Distribution and habitatedit
Preferring rocky shores, the sooty oystercatcher is endemic to Australia. There are an estimated 11,500 individuals, 4000 of the nominate race and 7500 of the northern race.[3] It is common around the Tasmanian coastline and Bass Strait islands.[8] However it is declared Rare in South Australia and Queensland, Near Threatened in Victoria and Endangered in New South Wales.[9]
Feedingedit
The sooty oystercatcher almost always forages in the intertidal zone, for the two hours either side of low tide.[7] A field study published in 2011 showed that prey items differed markedly between the sexes with only a 36% overlap. Females focussed on soft-bodied prey which they could swallow whole such as fish, crabs, bluebottle jellyfish and various worm-like creatures such as cunjevoi, while males preferred hard-shelled prey such as mussels (Mytilus planulatus), sea urchins, turban shells (Lunella undulata and Lunella torquata), and black periwinkle (Nerita atramentosa).[7]
Breedingedit
A clutch of two to three eggs is laid in a crevice in rocks or small hollow or flat on the ground, often on an island or high place where parent birds can keep watch. Tapered oval in shape, the eggs are buff to beige with dark brown and lavender dots and splotches and measure 63 mm (2.5 in) long by 42 mm (1.7 in) wide.[10]
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International. (2016). Haematopus fuliginosus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22693663A93417538.en
^ abHansen, B. D.; Minton, C. D. T.; Jessop, R.; Collins, P. (2009). "Biometrics, sexing criteria, age-structure and moult of Sooty Oystercatchers in south-eastern and north-western Australia". Emu. 109: 25–33. doi:10.1071/MU07045. S2CID 83482876.
^Christidis, Les; Boles, Walter E. (2008). Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. Canberra: CSIRO Publishing. p. 131. ISBN978-0-643-06511-6.
^ abcSouth Coast Shorebird Recovery Program. "Sooty Oystercatcher" (PDF). Threatened Species Information. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Retrieved 2 September 2012.
^Dunning, John B. Jr. (1992). CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses. CRC Press. p. 98. ISBN978-0-8493-4258-5.
^ abcAplin, Lucy Margaret; Cockburn, Andrew (2012). "Ecological Selection and Sexual Dimorphism in the Sooty Oystercatcher, Haematopus fuliginosus". Austral Ecology. 37 (2): 248–57. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02263.x.
^"Sooty Oystercatcher, Haematopus fuliginosus". Nature & Conservation. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmanian Government. 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
^NSW Scientific Committee (May 2008). "Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus: Review of Current Information in NSW" (PDF). Hurstville, NSW. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
Media related to Haematopus fuliginosus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Haematopus fuliginosus at Wikispecies
January 01, 1970
sooty, oystercatcher, sooty, oystercatcher, haematopus, fuliginosus, species, oystercatcher, wading, bird, endemic, australia, commonly, found, coastline, prefers, rocky, coastlines, will, occasionally, live, estuaries, feathers, black, ring, bill, pink, legs,. The sooty oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus is a species of oystercatcher It is a wading bird endemic to Australia and commonly found on its coastline It prefers rocky coastlines but will occasionally live in estuaries All of its feathers are black It has a red eye eye ring and bill and pink legs Sooty oystercatcher Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Charadriiformes Family Haematopodidae Genus Haematopus Species H fuliginosus Binomial name Haematopus fuliginosusGould 1845 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Feeding 5 Breeding 6 References 7 External linksTaxonomy editJohn Gould described the sooty oystercatcher in 1845 Its species name is the Latin adjective fuliginosus sooty Two subspecies are recognised the nominate from the coastline of southern Australia and subspecies ophthalmicus from northern Australia The southern subspecies is larger and heavier than the northern 2 The northern one with a more yellowish eye ring is found from the Kimberleys across the top of the country to Mackay in central Queensland There is considerable overlap as the southern subspecies has been found up to Cape York 3 Subspecies ophthalmicus has been thought distinctive enough to warrant species status and needs further investigation 4 Black redbill is a local name 5 Description edit source source source source Mooloolaba Australia nbsp Sooty oystercatcher eggs in a nest on the south coast of New South Wales Measuring 42 to 52 cm 16 5 to 20 5 in long with a bill length of 5 8 cm 2 3 in the sooty oystercatcher has all black plumage 5 with pink red legs and scarlet or orange red bill and eyes 3 The heaviest of all oystercatchers the sooty oystercatcher weighs up to 980 g 2 16 lb averaging around 819 g 1 806 lb 6 with females larger and heavier in both subspecies 2 Males have shorter thicker bills and females have longer thinner bills The 19 average difference in length is the most marked of any oystercatcher species 7 Immature birds have grey brown legs a bill tipped with brown a browner cast to their plumage 5 and brown eyes The bill eyes and legs become red by the second year 3 Distribution and habitat editPreferring rocky shores the sooty oystercatcher is endemic to Australia There are an estimated 11 500 individuals 4000 of the nominate race and 7500 of the northern race 3 It is common around the Tasmanian coastline and Bass Strait islands 8 However it is declared Rare in South Australia and Queensland Near Threatened in Victoria and Endangered in New South Wales 9 Feeding editThe sooty oystercatcher almost always forages in the intertidal zone for the two hours either side of low tide 7 A field study published in 2011 showed that prey items differed markedly between the sexes with only a 36 overlap Females focussed on soft bodied prey which they could swallow whole such as fish crabs bluebottle jellyfish and various worm like creatures such as cunjevoi while males preferred hard shelled prey such as mussels Mytilus planulatus sea urchins turban shells Lunella undulata and Lunella torquata and black periwinkle Nerita atramentosa 7 Breeding editA clutch of two to three eggs is laid in a crevice in rocks or small hollow or flat on the ground often on an island or high place where parent birds can keep watch Tapered oval in shape the eggs are buff to beige with dark brown and lavender dots and splotches and measure 63 mm 2 5 in long by 42 mm 1 7 in wide 10 References edit BirdLife International 2016 Haematopus fuliginosus The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22693663A93417538 en a b Hansen B D Minton C D T Jessop R Collins P 2009 Biometrics sexing criteria age structure and moult of Sooty Oystercatchers in south eastern and north western Australia Emu 109 25 33 doi 10 1071 MU07045 S2CID 83482876 a b c d Geering Andrew Agnew Lindsay Harding Sandra 2007 Shorebirds of Australia Collingwood Victoria Csiro Publishing ISBN 978 0643103009 Christidis Les Boles Walter E 2008 Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds Canberra CSIRO Publishing p 131 ISBN 978 0 643 06511 6 a b c South Coast Shorebird Recovery Program Sooty Oystercatcher PDF Threatened Species Information NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service NPWS Retrieved 2 September 2012 Dunning John B Jr 1992 CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses CRC Press p 98 ISBN 978 0 8493 4258 5 a b c Aplin Lucy Margaret Cockburn Andrew 2012 Ecological Selection and Sexual Dimorphism in the Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus Austral Ecology 37 2 248 57 doi 10 1111 j 1442 9993 2011 02263 x Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus Nature amp Conservation Department of Primary Industries Parks Water and Environment Tasmanian Government 2010 Retrieved 2 September 2012 NSW Scientific Committee May 2008 Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus Review of Current Information in NSW PDF Hurstville NSW Retrieved 2 September 2012 Beruldsen Gordon 2003 Australian Birds Their Nests and Eggs Kenmore Hills Queensland self p 216 ISBN 0 646 42798 9 External links edit nbsp Media related to Haematopus fuliginosus at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Data related to Haematopus fuliginosus at Wikispecies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sooty oystercatcher amp oldid 1112436376, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
