Andy Trowbridge / European oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) standing in pasture. Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK. July.

Nick Upton / Oystercatcher flock (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight low over the sea on the way to a high tide roost, Cornwall, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at a high tide roost on coastal rocks, Cornwall, UK, April.

Mary McDonald / Magellanic oystercatcher (Haematopus leucopodus) calling, Carcass Island, Falkland Islands, South Atlantic. November.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight, Norfolk, East Anglia, Norfolk, England, UK, February.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) feeding on mussels as tide recedes, Norfolk, East Anglia, England, UK, February.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) feeding on mussels as tide recedes, Norfolk, East Anglia, England, UK, February.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight, Norfolk, East Anglia, Norfolk, England, UK, February.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) feeding on crab as tide recedes, Norfolk, East Anglia, England, UK, February.

Ross Hoddinott / American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Isabela Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. April.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight. Norfolk, UK, March.

David Tipling / Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) feeding, Brancaster, Norfolk, February.

Markus Varesvuo / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) Norway, May

Markus Varesvuo / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) pair resting, Norway, May

Markus Varesvuo / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight, Norway, June

Markus Varesvuo / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight. Norway. July

Markus Varesvuo / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight. Norway. July

Bert Willaert / Eurasian Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) The Netherlands, February.

David Tipling / Red Knot (Calidris canutus) flock with some Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost on Snettisham Pits, The Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, October.

David Tipling / Red Knot (Calidris canutus) flock with some Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost on Snettisham Pits, The Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, October.

David Tipling / Red Knot (Calidris canutus) flock with some Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost, Snettisham Pits, The Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, October.

David Tipling / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) flock flying by high tide roost, Snettisham, Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, September.

David Tipling / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) moving restlessly at high tide roost, Snettisham, The Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, September.

David Tipling / Red Knot (Calidris canutus) flock with some Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost, Snettisham Pits, The Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, October.

David Tipling / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost, Snettisham, Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, September.

David Tipling / Red Knot (Calidris canutus) flock with some Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost on Snettisham Pits, The Wash, Norfolk, England, UK, October.

Gary K. Smith / Two adult Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) on potato baulks, Norfolk, UK, April.

Brent Stephenson / South Island oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi) nest containing two eggs. This is the nest of one of the few pairs of this species that nests on braided riverbeds in the North Island, as the name sugg...

Brent Stephenson / South Island oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi) nest containing two eggs. This is one of the few pairs of this species that nests on braided riverbeds in the North Island, as the name suggests they no...

Brent Stephenson / Adult Pied morph variable oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor) with a chick on a shelly shore. Waipu Estuary, Northland, New Zealand, February.

Brent Stephenson / Chatham oystercatcher (Haematopus chathamensis) on a rocky shoreline. Maunganui Beach, Chatham Islands, New Zealand, December. Endangered species.

Brent Stephenson / Juvenile Variable oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor) on a rocky shoreline. Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand,Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, January.

Brent Stephenson / Chatham oystercatcher (Haematopus chathamensis) pair on a rocky shoreline, one stretching with wings raised. Matarakau, Chatham Islands, New Zealand, November. Endangered species.

Thomas Hinsche / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) pair mating, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Philippe Clement / Bleeding fairy helmet (Mycena haematopus) growing from a moss covered tree trunk, Belgium, November.

Philippe Clement / Bleeding fairy helmet (Mycena haematopus) growing from a moss covered tree trunk, Belgium, November.

Philippe Clement / Bleeding fairy helmet (Mycena haematopus) growing from a moss covered tree trunk, Belgium, November.

Bertie Gregory / Black oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani), a pair resting on the coastline, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, August.

Bertie Gregory / Black oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) foraging in a mussel bed on the coastline, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, August.

Bertie Gregory / Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) foraging in a mussel bed, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, July.

Terry Whittaker / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) standing on stones, Hornstrandir, Westfjords, Iceland, July.

David Tipling / Eurasian Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost Snettisham on the Wash, Norfolk, September.

Ingo Arndt / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) group roosting at high tide, Snettisham, Norfolk, England

Winfried Wisniewski / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) nest with eggs, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Russell Laman / American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) with chick and egg, San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands.

Rob Drummond / Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus), Queensland, Australia

Christine Jung / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) flying, Iceland

Chris Romeiks / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Germany

Ernie Janes / Camera set up at window of hide, to photograph Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) at high tide roost at RSPB Snettisham Reserve, Norfolk, England, UK, August.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) flock at high tide roost at RSPB Snettisham, Norfolk, England, UK, August

Duncan Usher / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) flying, Texel, Holland

Duncan Usher / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) stretching wings, Texel, Holland

Jussi Murtosaari / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) excreting, southern Finland, April.

Ernie Janes / Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) feeding at low tide, Norfolk, England, UK, November.

Ernie Janes / Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) feeding at low tide, Norfolk, England, UK, November.

Ernie Janes / Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) resting on a mudflat, Norfolk, England, UK, November.

Roger Powell / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) walking over its breeding territory. Porsanger fjord, Finmark, Norway, June.

Roger Powell / Female Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) courting mate. Porsanger fjord, Finmark, Norway, June.

Roger Powell / Female Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) courting mate. Porsanger fjord, Finmark, Norway, June.

Roger Powell / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) standing on guard over its breeding territory. Porsanger fjord, Finmark, Norway, June.

Roger Powell / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) standing on guard over its breeding territory. Porsanger fjord, Finmark, Norway, June.

Roger Powell / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) standing on guard over its breeding territory. Porsanger fjord, Finmark, Norway, June.

Tui De Roy / American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) preening, Puerto Egas, James Bay, Santiago Island, Ecuador

Karl Seddon / Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris), Australia

Rosl Roessner / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) and chick, Iceland

Peter Hering / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) pair mating, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Jan Wegener / American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Florida

Jan Wegener / American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) feeding on clam, Florida

Jan Wegener / American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Florida

Glenn Bartley / Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani), British Columbia, Canada

Glenn Bartley / Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani), British Columbia, Canada

Jan Wegener / Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus), Australia

Jan Wegener / Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus), Australia

E.J. Peiker / Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor), New Zealand

E.J. Peiker / Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor), New Zealand

E.J. Peiker / Blackish Oystercatcher (Haematopus ater), Falkland Islands

E.J. Peiker / Magellanic Oystercatcher (Haematopus leucopodus), Falkland Islands

Jan Wegener / Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris), Perth, Australia

Jan Wegener / American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Florida

Florian Möllers / Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) head and red beak peering out from dune vegetation at Lister Haken, Island of Sylt, Wadden Sea National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Germany, June.

Florian Möllers / Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) nest with two eggs in the dunes of 'Uthorn' Nature Reserve, List, Island of Sylt, Wadden Sea National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Germany, June.

Nick Upton / Oystercatcher flock (Haematopus ostralegus) in flight low over the sea in sunset light on their way to a high tide roost, Cornwall, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) probing with an open beak and moving pebbles and earth as it forages for worms on a lakeshore, Gloucestershire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) probing for worms in a lakeshore earth bank, Gloucestershire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) foraging in shallow water at the margin of a lake, Gloucestershire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) carrying an Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) extracted from a lakeshore to wash it in the lake before swallowing, Gloucestershire, UK, May.

Claudio Contreras / American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Espiritu Santo Island National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, April

Claudio Contreras / American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) preening, Espiritu Santo Island National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, April

Claudio Contreras / American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Espiritu Santo Island National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, April

Claudio Contreras / American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Espiritu Santo Island National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, April

Claudio Contreras / American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Espiritu Santo Island National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, April

Claudio Contreras / American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Espiritu Santo Island National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, April

Ernie Janes / Oyster Catcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in tulip (Tulipa) field, North Norfolk, May 2013

David Tipling / Knot (Calidris canutus) and Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) roosting at Snettisham RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, March

Bence Mate / Oystercatcher {Haematopus ostralegus} amongst Sea thrift, Runde, Norway

Bence Mate / Oystercatcher {Haematopus ostralegus} standing on one leg, Runde, Norway