Haematopus bachmani
Silhouette: terngirl · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The black oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) is a conspicuous black bird found on the shoreline of western North America, ranging from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska to the coast of the Baja California peninsula. It is the only representative of the oystercatcher family (Haematopodidae) over most of its range, overlapping slightly with the American oystercatcher (H. palliatus) on the coast of Baja California. Within its range it is most commonly referred to as the black oystercatcher, although this name is also used locally for the blackish oystercatcher and the African oystercatcher. Its scientific name was derived by John James Audubon from that of his friend John Bachman.
Although the species is not considered threatened, its global population is estimated between 8,900–11,000. It is a species of high conservation concern throughout its range (U.S., Canadian, Alaskan, and Northern & Southern Pacific Shorebird Conservation Plans), a keystone indicator species along the north Pacific shoreline, a management indicator species in the Chugach National Forest, and a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service focal species for priority conservation action.
The black oystercatcher... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lisbon Oceanarium | 🇵🇹 Portugal | |
| 2 | Bronx Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Woodland Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Oregon Coast Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Alaska SeaLife Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Monterey Bay Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Seattle Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Seattle Marine Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black Oystercatcher sighting in San Diego on a given day, based on 2,803 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 109th most-seen of the 386 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–March and May–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black Oystercatcher in San Diego on a given day, against under 5% in April and December, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black Oystercatcher sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Black Oystercatcher sightings, San Diego ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in San Francisco (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black Oystercatcher is recorded against all the birds logged in San Diego (2,803 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
