Not an Oyster
Victoria, British Columbia
The West Coast of North America sees the familiar American oystercatcher give way to the black oystercatcher, a species in the same family with much less color variation overall. At low tide around BC's capital city of Victoria, black oystercatchers can be found combing over the exposed rocks for food, which they are able to easily pry off and consume with their specialized bills. This bird doesn't have an oyster —in fact, I've never seen any species of oystercatcher ever catch and eat an actual oyster in my life— but he's still demonstrating some textbook shorebird feeding behavior. Bright-overcast light let me bring out all the details in the dark feathers, the rocks, and even the sea behind the bird.
« News