African oystercatcher
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The African oystercatcher or African black oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini) is a large charismatic wader resident to the mainland coasts and offshore islands of southern Africa. This oystercatcher has a population of over 6,000 adults, which breed between November and April.<ref name="Hockey 2005">Template:Cite book</ref> The scientific name moquini commemorates the French naturalist Alfred Moquin-Tandon who discovered and named this species before Bonaparte.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
DescriptionEdit
The African oystercatcher is a large, noisy wader, with completely black plumage, red legs and a strong broad red bill. The sexes are similar in appearance, however, females are larger and have a slightly longer beak than males. Juveniles have soft grey plumage and do not express the characteristic red legs and beak until after they fledged. The call is a distinctive loud piping, very similar to Eurasian oystercatchers. As the Eurasian oystercatcher is a migratory species they only occur as a vagrant in southern Africa, and its black-and-white plumage makes confusion impossible.<ref name="Hockey 2005"/>
Average measurementsEdit
Body Length: Template:Convert
Wingspan: Template:Convert
Mass: ♂ Template:Convert ♀ Template:Convert
Tarsus: Template:Convert
Culmen: Template:Convert<ref name="Hockey 2005"/>
Distribution and habitatEdit
The African oystercatcher is native to the mainland coasts and offshore islands of Southern Africa - sometimes occurring as a vagrant in Angola and Mozambique. Its breeding range extends from Lüderitz, Namibia to Mazeppa Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa. There are estimated to be over 6,000 adult birds in total.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /><ref name="Hockey 2005"/>
Typically sedentary African oystercatchers rarely leave their territories, which include a nesting site and feeding grounds. These will usually be located on or near rocky shores where they can feed.
EcologyEdit
FeedingEdit
African oystercatchers predominantly feed on molluscs such as mussels and limpets, although they are known to also feed on polychaetes, insects<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and potentially even fish.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> They are adapted to pry open mussels and loosen limpets off the rocks but have been recorded picking through sand to locate other food items.
BreedingEdit
The nest is a bare scrape on pebbles, sand or shingle within about Template:Convert of the high-water mark. On rock ledges there may be a rim of shells to keep the eggs in place. The female generally lays two eggs, but there may be one or three, which are incubated by both adults. The incubation period varies between 27 and 39 days and the young take a further 38 or so days to fledge. Breeding success is greater on offshore islands where there are few predators and less disturbance than mainland sites.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The eggs average about Template:Convert in length, ranging from Template:Convert, and have a breadth of Template:Convert, ranging from Template:Convert.
Longevity and mortalityEdit
The lifespan of an African oystercatcher is about 35 years, of which they are known to pair up for 25 years. Although adults are rarely predated, most mainland egg and chick fatalities are due to disturbance by people, off-road vehicles, dog attacks and predation by the kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) and other avian predators.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /> Offshore pairs experience similar avian predation although most chicks perish due to starvation.
StatusEdit
As of December 2017 the global IUCN assessment of the African oystercatcher's status is "Least Concern". The population trend seems to be upward as the local community becomes more involved in adopting conservation measures.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /> In South Africa, the species has also been downlisted to Least Concern.<ref name=underhill>Template:Cite book</ref> A long-term program by the South African Ringing Scheme is tracking the dispersal of ringed birds to keep conservation assessments in South Africa and Namibia up to date.<ref name=safring>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
GalleryEdit
- African Black Oystercatcher RWD2.jpg
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
- Haematopus moquini P1040458.JPG
Feeding on the rocky shore
- African Black Oystercatcher, (Haematopus moquini) standing on the sand.jpg
Taken in South Africa
- Three African Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus moquini) in flight.jpg
Three in flight
- African Black Oystercatcher RWD1.jpg
at De Hoop, South Africa
- Oystercatcher nest three eggs.jpg
Three egg clutch
- African Black Oystercatcher chick.jpg
African oystercatcher chick
- African Black Oystercatcher shading eggs.jpg
African oystercatcher shading eggs
- African black oystercatchers.JPG
A pair in flight
- African Black Oystercatcher 01 (3545455502).jpg
African oystercatcher 01
- African Black Oystercatcher SMTC.jpg
African oystercatcher
- Haematopus moquini.jpg
Haematopus moquini
- Haematopus moquini P1040460.JPG
Haematopus moquini
- Haematopus moquini portrait.png
Haematopus moquini portrait
- Haematopus moquini young.png
Haematopus moquini young
- Haematopus moquini P1040465.JPG
Haematopus moquini
ReferencesEdit
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