Species:

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)

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Length (cm):
40-45
64-78
Wingspan (cm):
80-86
150-165
Weight (gram):
430-650
1033-2272
Size group:
Crow-size
Bigger than a crow
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:

Adults: Black back and pinkish legs. Large white windows at tips of primaries, and broad white trailing edge of wing. A very heavy gull with a heavy bill and broad wings. Juveniles with pale head, boldly spotted back and heavier bill than Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gull.

Sound:

Can be identified from the low pitch alone. Clearly deeper than Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gull.

Call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

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:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Waders
Silhouette
Gull-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