The Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

is one of the most characteristic birds of the North Sea coast. He belongs to the order of waders, gulls and Auks (Charadriiformes) and the genus of oyster fishermen. His largest audience in Europe, he has in the Wadden Sea and the coastal hinterland of the North Sea, where it also bears the name jokingly Hallig stork.

Adult oystercatchers reach a body length of 40 to 45 centimeters and are thus almost as large as crows. One month after fledging are still alive 16 percent of the hatched young. The average age of the oystercatcher is 14 to 15 years. In captivity, the oyster fishermen over 30 years old can be. However, so far holds the record for an animal that was found dead in 1993. Its ringing from the year 1949 in the Netherlands shows a ripe old age of 44 years.

Oystercatchers are very ruffreudige birds. The loud and shrill quiéwiehp is typical for them Kontaktruf.
The oystercatcher is a foodborne strong ties to the coast is under tidal influence. He therefore preferred a flat sea coasts and islands, estuaries of streams and rivers. In the Netherlands, northwest Germany and partly in the UK, it is also during the breeding season in fields and meadows Kurzras encountered. Here it breeds preferentially on lakes or wide rivers with gravel shores. Even lakes in gravel pits to fit into its habitat scheme.
On the coast, the activity of the oyster fishing is extremely dependent on tide - the animals are diurnal and nocturnal so. Without the influence of the tides, they are inland diurnal.

On the coast, feeding the oystercatcher is primarily of shells, bristle worms, crabs and insects. One of the mussel species that make up a large part of his diet, particularly among cardiac, mussels and Baltic clams. They also eat well dish, beach and whelks. Further inland is the earthworm, the main food of the oyster fisherman dar.

Oystercatcher swim quite well and often. Troops of several animals have been observed already in the distance from the mainland. Probably the birds resting at high tide on dark nights on the water.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austernfischer