What does the Eurasian Oystercatcher eat?

The Eurasian Oystercatcher's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Carnivore, primarily feeding on bivalve molluscs (mussels, cockles), polychaete worms, crustaceans, and sometimes insects and small fish. They use their specialized bills to pry open or hammer shells.

How it forages

Highly specialized feeders. They probe soft mud or sand for worms, or use their strong bills to pry open bivalves (e.g., mussels, cockles) or hammer them open. They often feed in flocks, especially outside the breeding season, following the tide line. They are opportunistic and will also take crabs, limpets, and insects.

When it feeds

Diurnal, but also feeds nocturnally on tidal flats when the tide is out, especially during full moon periods.

Explore the Eurasian Oystercatcher