haematopus ostralegus

1 definition found

haematopus ostralegus - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  oystercatcher \oystercatcher\, oyster catcher \oyster catcher\n.
     (Zool.),
     Any one of several species of wading birds of the genus
     Haematopus having stout legs and bill and mostly
     black-and-white plumage, which frequent seashores and feed
     upon oysters and other shellfish. The European species
     (Haematopus ostralegus), the common American species
     (Haematopus palliatus), and the California, or black,
     oyster catcher (Haematopus Bachmani) are the best known.
  
     Syn: oyster plover.
          [1913 Webster]