Oystercatchers: Haematopodidae

Oystercatchers eat many different types of marine invertebrates, including mollusks, crabs, chitons (KYE-tunz; a type of mollusk), sea urchins, and snails. They also occasionally eat fish. Inland oystercatcher populations focus on arthropods such as insects and spiders. Oystercatchers use their sensitive bills to search for food in shallow water or soft mud. They are effective hunters that are able to defeat their prey using a variety of techniques. With mollusks, oystercatchers sometimes stab their narrow bills into a slightly open shell. They may also pound mollusks against sharp rocks to crack them open.