Another bird of our coast is the Oyster-catcher, sometimes called the
"Sea-pie" or Mussel-picker. These names suit it well, for it does not
live on oysters, but on mussels, limpets and whelks. Of course, these
are easily "caught" at low tide; they are not easily eaten, so the
Sea-pie has to earn his dinner by hard work. In fact, his beak is often
notched by the sharp, hard edges of the shells of these molluscs; and at
times, he haunts the low banks of mud and ooze near the sea, and there
picks up worms and other soft-bodied animals.
As his name Sea-pie shows, the Oyster-catcher is a black-and-white bird,
his under parts being white and upper parts black. His legs and long,
straight bill are red. Most birds of the waterside seem to find that
black-and-white feathers make a good disguise. Though they would show up
plainly on a green field, they are well hidden among the stones along
the edge of the water.
The Sea-pie makes no nest, only a hole in the sand or shingle, lined
with small stones or shells. The eggs are coloured and marked so that
they are hard to see among the stones which surround them.
Pages:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35