South Island Oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

South Island Oystercatcher

Haematopus finschi Martens, GH, 1897

526 gWeight

The South Island oystercatcher or South Island pied oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi) is one of two common oystercatcher species found in New Zealand.

Busiest months: January and November · Most records: New Zealand, Australia, Norfolk Island

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

South Island Oystercatcher has been recorded at 107 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Miranda – main hide/LimeworksNew Zealand1,347 records
  2. Foxton Beach – Manawatu estuaryNew Zealand814 records
  3. Miranda Shorebird CentreNew Zealand783 records
More places
  1. Ashley Estuary south endNew Zealand713 records
  2. Ashley River EstuaryNew Zealand628 records
  3. Ambury Regional Park – Shell IslandNew Zealand621 records
  4. Miranda – 'Stilt Hide' & poolsNew Zealand596 records
  5. Miranda – Ray's Rest/Taramaire Creek mouthNew Zealand589 records
  6. Manawatu Estuary – spit/Dawick St platformNew Zealand498 records
  7. Ambury Regional ParkNew Zealand468 records

Countries and regions with the most records

New ZealandAustraliaNorfolk Island

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The South Island oystercatcher or South Island pied oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi) is one of two common oystercatcher species found in New Zealand. Its name is often contracted to the acronym "SIPO" (rhyming with "typo"). The indigenous Māori name is tōrea.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the South Island Oystercatcher?

The South Island Oystercatcher weighs around 526 g.

Where does the South Island Oystercatcher live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: inland South Island (New Zealand). It is most often recorded in New Zealand, Australia and Norfolk Island.

When is the best time to see the South Island Oystercatcher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the South Island Oystercatcher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the South Island Oystercatcher as Least Concern.

What does the South Island Oystercatcher eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the South Island Oystercatcher in?

It belongs to the family Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight
526 g
Habitat
Coast & tidal flats
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
252 mm
Tail
92 mm
Bill
90 mm
Tarsus
47 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia: inland South Island (New Zealand)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Oystercatchers Haematopodidae
Genus
Haematopus

Other birds in the genus Haematopus

Magellanic OystercatcherMagellanic OystercatcherHaematopus leucopodusBlackish OystercatcherBlackish OystercatcherHaematopus aterBlack OystercatcherBlack OystercatcherHaematopus bachmaniAmerican OystercatcherAmerican OystercatcherHaematopus palliatusAfrican OystercatcherAfrican OystercatcherHaematopus moquiniEurasian OystercatcherEurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusPied OystercatcherPied OystercatcherHaematopus longirostrisVariable OystercatcherVariable OystercatcherHaematopus unicolorChatham Islands OystercatcherChatham Islands OystercatcherHaematopus chathamensisSooty OystercatcherSooty OystercatcherHaematopus fuliginosus
South Island Oystercatcher

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Tony Palliser. ↗

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