BIRDS FOUND ALONG THE BEACHES - 8] 
287. BLACK OYSTER-CATCHER. — Hamatopus 
bachmani. 
Famity: The Oyster-catchers. 
Length: 17.00. 
Adults: Head and neck bluish black, rest of plumage rusty black ; bill 
chisel-shaped and red ; feet and legs red. 
Young: Genera] color more brownish. 
Downy Young: Head, neck, and upper parts sooty brown; the down 
tipped with rusty ; under parts black. 
Geographical Distribution: Pacific coast of North America from Lower 
California to the Aleutian Islands. 
Breeding Range: Breeds nearly throughout its habitat. 
Breeding Season: June. 
Nest: The bare ground of the beach or the shale. 
Eggs: 1 to 3; olive, spotted with umber and purplish gray. Size 
2.20 X 1,52. 
THE Oyster-catcher family includes ten species, mostly 
found in the tropics; but three species are found in 
North America, and two occur in California. While 
found all along the coast of California, they are especially 
partial to rocky portions and islands, and are not usually 
seen on the sand beaches. Their feeding grounds are 
the outer bars, beaches, and rocks, where they search for 
clams, muscles, and oysters exposed by the fall of the 
tide. The strong shells of these mollusks the birds pry 
open with their bills. Oyster-catchers are abundant 
along the rocky coast at La Jolla, but I have never 
found any breeding there. Mr. Anthony found them 
breeding on the rocky islands close to the coast, the 
eggs having been laid on the bare rocks, usually but 
a few feet above high water, and close to the edge. All 
about them were empty shells of limpets brought there 
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