Birds of North America
Puzzle 58 · Along Beaches and Mudflats · Page 84 in print
American Oystercatcher
Young American Oystercatchers learn to open shellfish from their parents, who teach either a snipping or a smashing technique during the first year.
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Adductor
The shell-closing muscle that the bird cuts when opening oysters.
Barrier Island
An offshore sandy landform used for nesting.
Beachgrass
Vegetation near some nest scrapes.
Diving
Young may dive underwater to escape danger.
Intertidal
The coastal zone used by nesting and foraging birds.
Lady Crabs
A named crab prey.
Limpets
Shell-bearing marine prey.
Nor'easters
Coastal storms during which birds may seek sheltered areas.
Razor Clams
Buried shellfish extracted as food.
Sea Oats
A dune plant near nesting sites.
Sea Urchins
Spiny marine animals sometimes eaten.
Smashing
Another shell-opening method learned by young birds.
Snipping
One method of opening shellfish that parents teach young.
Speckled Crabs
Another crab included in the diet.
Wrack Mat
Dead vegetation can provide a nesting surface.
Sources
- American Oystercatcher: Life HistoryCornell Lab of Ornithology