ˈoyster-ˌcatcher
[Cf. Fris. oestervisscher, Ger. austermann, austernfischer, and Linnæus' L. name ostralegus, mod.F. huîtrier.]
A maritime wading bird of the family Hæmatopodidæ with black-and-white or black plumage, and bill and feet of a brilliant red.
The common European species is Hæmatopus ostralegus Linn., the earlier Eng. name of which is Sea Pie; the N. American species is H. palliatus. As an English name ‘oyster-catcher’ appears first in connexion with the latter; it was used generically by Pennant Genera of Birds (1773) p. xxxi.
| 1731 M. Catesby Nat. Hist. Carolina (1754) I. 85 Hæmatopus... The Oyster Catcher. 1732 Mortimer in Phil. Trans. XXXVII. 448 Hæmatopus... The Oyster-Catcher, so called, because it feeds upon Oysters, which it finds gaping when left dry on the Banks at low Water. 1846 Stokes Discov. Australia II. vii. 254 Our game-bag was thinly lined with small curlews, oyster-catchers, and sanderlings. |