Dr. Dan Killam
Contrary to their name, American oystercatchers don't *just* eat oysters. In one study, around 2/3 of their diet was actually sand crabs. But they do eat a lot of bivalves, using their chisel-like, fast-growing bills to smash or pry open oysters, mussels and other intertidal bivalves! Murder! 🫣 #clamFacts
Jun 8 at 6:43pmWeb
Show threadDr. Dan KillamJun 8
Figure source: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lyn-Brown/publication/384334955_Diet_Overlaps_between_the_Sexes_in_Breeding_American_Oystercatchers/links/672bf31a2326b47637cc8603/Diet-Overlaps-between-the-Sexes-in-Breeding-American-Oystercatchers.pdf
Show threadGraupelJun 8
@dantheclamman Honestly, they're one of my favourite birds to watch, I love how they always stay in communication with one another, they're really chatty :)
Show threadDr. Dan KillamJun 8
@firn definitely one I usually hear first haha
Show threadDonald HobernJun 10

@dantheclamman

As I recall, European #Oystercatchers were shown to have different bills depending on whether they specialised on oysters/clams (hammering the hinge caused bill deformations) or on razor shells (finer narrower bills).