Pictured is an American oystercatcher walking in shallow water in Chokoloskee Bay in Florida. The binomial name is Haematopus palliatus. It is occasionally called the American pied osystercatcher or PiruPiru. Oystercatchers are closely tied to coastal habitats. They nest on beaches on coastal islands and feed on marine invertebrates. The large, heavy beak is used to pry open bivalve mollusks. Chokoloskee Bay is roughly 10 miles long and 2 miles wide. It is located along Floridaâs Gulf Coast and is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by the Ten Thousand Islands.
|