Pied Oystercatcher

Large wading bird, black and white feather colouring, red legs and beak, male and female similar. Often seen standing on one leg on beaches, flying low in pairs or small groups just above the waves or wading along shoreline collecting pippies and other small shellfish, opening the shell and extracting the animal inside. Habit of beach nesting leaves them under threat from human activity, feral pests & increased storm activity and predicted sea level rises.