Sooty Oystercatcher

1. Entirely sooty-black plumage, easily distinguished from the pied oystercatcher’s black-and-white pattern

2. Long, thick reddish bill and red or yellow-orange eye-ring, depending on subspecies

3. Loud, slow whistled “chew” call and, when agitated, a rapidly repeated “squeaky toy” vocalization

Sooty Oystercatchers are specialized foragers, feeding mainly on hard-shelled marine invertebrates like limpets, mussels, chitons, and crabs, as well as worms and other soft-bodied prey. They use their powerful bills to hammer, prise, or stab prey. Males tend to focus on hard-shelled prey, while females consume more soft-bodied items, showing the most pronounced bill length difference among oystercatchers. Breeding occurs from late winter to summer (August–January), with pairs defending small territories and nesting in simple scrapes among rocks or sand above the tideline. Clutches usually contain two eggs, with chicks hatching downy and rusty-coloured for camouflage. Both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties. The species is mostly sedentary, with only minor seasonal movements between breeding islands and nearby mainland.

Sooty Oystercatchers are found exclusively along Australia’s coastlines, especially around rocky headlands, platforms, reefs, and islands, but may also occur on sandy beaches near rocks or estuaries. The southern subspecies (H. f. fuliginosus) is common along southern shores and Tasmania, while the northern subspecies (H. f. ophthalmicus) is more frequent on northern coasts and islands with fringing coral reefs. Birds are typically seen in pairs or small groups, foraging along the water’s edge, especially at low tide when shellfish are exposed.