Oystercatchers, known for sharp bills and beady eyes, are making a comeback thanks to conservation
A $10 million, 16-state conservation campaign helped raise breeding pairs by 45% as managers protect nests and restore habitat.
- From 2008 to 2023, oystercatcher numbers increased 45% along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, a notable recovery given a 2023 study found most North American shorebird populations declining.
- The American Oystercatcher Working Group coordinated 35 organizations across 16 states, raising about $10 million over a decade to implement individually-tailored conservation plans addressing site-specific threats.
- Along North Carolina's Cape Fear River, Audubon is replenishing shell rakes to combat erosion, while Georgia built elevated nesting platforms using oystershells to mitigate nest-destroying overwash.
- Breeding pairs in Massachusetts increased 77% since 2009 and rose nearly 20% to 403 in North Carolina, while South Carolina roped off nearly 30 nesting sites for protection.
- Federal wildlife biologist Maureen Durkin said the recovery demonstrates what a "dedicated group of partners" can achieve, though climate change and rising seas remain persistent challenges for long-term stability.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Conservation Efforts Drive Oystercatcher Population Recovery
American oystercatcher populations have grown significantly along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts over the past 15 years, marking a rare conservation success for North American shorebirds. According to the report, the species' numbers increased by 45% between 2008 and 2023, even as many other shorebird populations continue to decline.The report said the recovery was driven by coordinated conservation efforts involving 35 organizations across 16 sta…
Santa Maria Times
Independent EspañolSOUTH KINGSTOWN, Rhode Island, USA (AP) — On a pristine Rhode Island beach full of noisy seabirds, a group of networked biologists sneaks up on a pair of American oyster chicks.
Associated Press News
Oystercatchers, known for sharp bills and beady eyes, are making a comeback thanks to conservation
A shorebird known for its sharp, orange bill and beady eyes is making a comeback in North America thanks to a yearslong conservation effort.
Oystercatchers, known for sharp bills and beady eyes, are making a comeback
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — On a pristine Rhode Island beach teeming with noisy seabirds, a group of biologists armed with nets sneak up on a pair of American oystercatcher chicks. But just as they move in to capture them, one of the football-size birds, with bright-orange bills and long legs, scampers into a coastal salt pond. The other briefly takes to the air, sending the team running across the mile-and-a-half-long (2.4-kilometer-long) beach in …
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