Posted in South Carolina
September 23, 2020
Each Year, Nearly All Of The American Oystercatchers In The Country Overwinter On The South Carolina Coast
The South Carolina coast can best be described as a marine Serengeti. It is comprised of one of the largest estuaries in the nation, including the ACE Basin which boasts more than 350,000 acres of brackish water where creeks and streams flow into the estuary and transition into the Atlantic. As a result of the ebb and flow of the tidal waters in the state’s estuaries, the American Oystercatcher is known to hunker down along the coast each winter.
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In 2018, the American Bird Conservancy estimated the total population of American Oystercatchers at 43,000.

They're most often spotted at low tide, and where beds of mollusks (usually oysters) are exposed when the tide is low.

The American Oystercatcher grows to be approximately 20 inches in length and between one and two pounds.


Females begin laying eggs by age three or four. The eggs are deposited in a narrow and shallow scrape they dig on the ground.

The newly hatched Oystercatchers are on their feet and walking around in about 24 hours, although the parents will continue feeding them until they're about a year old.

It will bring oysters and other mollusks back to the nest in order to show them how to pry open the mollusk shells and pry the food out of the shell's cavity. If done incorrectly, there is a chance the mollusk will clamp down on the bird's beak and keep such a strong hold the bird will eventually drown with the incoming tide.

How often do you spot American Oystercatchers along the coast in South Carolina? What other birds often catch your eye when you’re at the coast? Feel free to join the discussion (and post your images!) in our Facebook comments.
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