Chris Davidson Photography
Oystercatcher-6683-j
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
New Jersey
A reprocess and post of this older image..
This is the first image in a three image set, which will show this Oystercatchers mollusc feeding technique. Each image will tell a bit of the story...
The Oystercatchers long orange bill is not only for probing in the sand and mud, but is excellent at prying open molluscs like clams and mussels. I've read that some Oystercatchers have a more blunt shaped bill tip and will use it to smash open the shell of some molluscs species to get at its meat. Although I can't imagine the bill being strong enough to smash through this hardshell Cherrystone Clam.
When this Oystercatcher (pictured above) located a clam. It pryed it open, then worked it around a bit and sniped the adducter muscle (which opens and closes the clam) and split the clam in half exposing the clams soft edible tissues.
Oystercatcher-6683-j
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
New Jersey
A reprocess and post of this older image..
This is the first image in a three image set, which will show this Oystercatchers mollusc feeding technique. Each image will tell a bit of the story...
The Oystercatchers long orange bill is not only for probing in the sand and mud, but is excellent at prying open molluscs like clams and mussels. I've read that some Oystercatchers have a more blunt shaped bill tip and will use it to smash open the shell of some molluscs species to get at its meat. Although I can't imagine the bill being strong enough to smash through this hardshell Cherrystone Clam.
When this Oystercatcher (pictured above) located a clam. It pryed it open, then worked it around a bit and sniped the adducter muscle (which opens and closes the clam) and split the clam in half exposing the clams soft edible tissues.