Oystercatchers are shorebirds that live on temperate and tropical coasts around the world, occuring on every continent except Antarctica. There are 13 species worldwide , nine of which occur in southern hemisphere. They are large and noisy plover-like birds, with massive long orange or red bills used for smashing or prying open molluscs.Both male and female are similar in appearance, however, females have a slightly longer beak than males. One species of oystercatcher became extinct during the 20th century, the Canarian Oystercatcher. Another species, the Chatham Oystercatcher, which is endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, is listed as endangered by the IUCN, and the African Oystercatcher is considered near threatened.
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