Haematopus unicolor
Silhouette: terngirl · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The variable oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor) is a species of wader in the family Haematopodidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The Māori name is tōrea-pango. They are also known as 'red bills'. "Variable" refers to the frontal plumage, which ranges from pied through mottled to all black. They are polymorphic meaning they have different genetic variants. These color differences are attributed to the latitude of the habitat, where the northernmost oystercatchers have significantly more white on their bodies than those of southern origin. All Stewart Island variable oystercatchers are black. They have pink legs, an orange eye ring and orange-red beaks. Similar to a needle in shape, the bill is thin and long, and darkens to a deep red color during the breeding season. Males are around 678 grams and females slightly larger at around 724 grams. Length of individuals range from 42 to 47 cm from beak to tail and have a short, sturdy body with a thick neck.
Variables can be identified as they are slightly larger than the South Island pied oystercatcher (SIPO are around 550 grams). Occasionally completely black, but if they are pied (black and white) they can be easily confused... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ōtorohanga Kiwi House | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a VOC sighting in Rakiura National Park on a given day, based on 2,015 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 80 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and September
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a VOC in Rakiura National Park on a given day, against about 60% in March, the lowest month.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most VOC sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate VOC sightings, Rakiura National Park has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come Abel Tasman National Park (New Zealand, about 60%) and Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the VOC is recorded against all the birds logged in Rakiura National Park (2,015 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
