British Population Size:
Summer:
99 to 127 thousand pairs
in 1985-98
Winter:
320 thousand individuals
in 2004-09
 
First Record:
Recorded in Medieval times
Conservation Status:
AMBER
because
Localised Non-breeding Population,
Important Breeding Population
Important Non-breeding Population
Previous Assessments:
2002-2007
AMBER
1996-2001
AMBER
Races of Concern:
ostralegus AMBER (Important Population)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Estuaries
Also common in:
Open Shore
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Migration routes:
Map of foreign ringing recoveries
and summary map from Time to Fly (in pop-up windows)
European Population Size:
Summer:
293 to 425 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
57 x 40 mm
Egg Weight:
46.5 g (of which 7 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
555
Clutch Size:
2 - 3 eggs
2.70 ± 0.69 (1 - 5) N = 3547
Incubation:
24- 27 days
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
34 - 37days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
19 May (15 Apr - 9 Jun)
Number of Broods:
1
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
Annual Totals
Adult Survival:
0.880
Juvenile Survival:
0.390 (to age 5 )
Age at First Breeding:
4
years
Typical Lifespan:
12
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
40 years 1 months 2 days (set in 2010)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries
Biometrics
Ring Size:
F
Wing Length
Adult:
262.7 ± 7.5
Range
225.0 - 291.0 mm, (N = 8270)
Juvenile:
257.5 ± 7.0
Range
225.0 - 282.0 mm, (N = 2022)
Male:
261.1 ± 6.4
Range
236.0 - 283.0 mm, (N = 146)
Female:
262.4 ± 7.8
Range
236.0 - 282.0 mm, (N = 177)
Weight
Adult:
536.8 ± 83.67
Range
320.0 - 748.0 g , (N =8253)
Juvenile:
479.6 ± 54.1
Range
335.0 - 665.0 . , (N =1995)
Male:
535.8 ± 51.10
Range
415.0 - 700.0 g , (N =147)
Female:
539.5 ± 56.89
Range
364.0 - 690.0 g , (N =175)
Seasonal:
Summer 512.2 ± 41.60 (N = 3303)  
Autumn 529.0 ± 42.01 (N = 8094)
Winter 548.4 ± 53.81 (N = 9115)  
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Gaelic:
Gille-Brìghde
Welsh:
Pioden y Môr
Danish:
Strandskade
Dutch:
Scholekster
Finnish:
Meriharakka
French:
Huîtrier pie
German:
Austernfischer
Hungarian:
Csigaforgató
Icelandic:
Tjaldur
Irish:
Roilleach
Italian:
Beccaccia di mare
Norwegian:
Tjeld
Polish:
Ostrygojad zwyczajny
Portuguese:
Ostraceiro
Spanish:
Ostrero
Swedish:
Strandskata
Local Names: Shelder, Sea Pie,
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Goss-Custard, J.D. 1996 The oystercatcher: from individuals to populations Oxford University Press, Oxford
[598.612 GOS]
Nethersole-Thompson, D. & M. 1986 Waders, their breeding, haunts and watchers Poyser, London
[598.6 NET]
Nethersole-Thompson, D. 1988 The Oystercatcher Shire Publications, Princes Risborough
[Jour: S]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar
or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead