Species:

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

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Length (cm):
40-45
27-29
Wingspan (cm):
80-86
44-49
Weight (gram):
430-650
44-78
Size group:
Crow-size
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Unmistakable shorebird. Large wader with black and white plumage, striking orange-red, straight bill and red orbital ring. Legs pinkish in adults and grey in juveniles. Broad white wing-bars. Stocky build, with fairly short legs and broad chest. Flight pattern straight and level. Winter plumage with white half-collar on chin. Juveniles with browner tone to upperparts than adults, and black tip of bill.

Sound:

Very vocal. Sharp, loud and far carrying, disyllabic or monosyllabic calls "ku-eek" or "kleek". Often works itself up into a crescendos of fast, piping calls, and then mellows out.

Song/display:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Unmistakable if seen well. Stunning, bright yellow throat and turquoise underparts. Upperside of wings multicoloured with noticeable light buff shoulders, as opposed to other Bee-eaters in the region. In flight the underwing shows a black trailing edge, which on the secondaries becomes broader closer to the body . Often flies high and then reveals itself only by its flight call.

Sound:

Quite vocal in all activities. Call a short and soft "pju" often quickly repeated forming multi-syllabic, rolling phrases.

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Lars Lachmann, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Waders
Silhouette
Thrush-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file