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Pied Oystercatchers and Sand Goannas

10,000 Birds

We have often suspected that the Sand Goannas would steal eggs as a food source from the Pied Oystercatcher nests if they found them. The two pairs should have been close to hatching their eggs from their first clutch. The pair of Pied Oystercatchers to the north have now laid a second clutch of two more eggs.

Eggs 253
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Pied Oystercatcher nesting

10,000 Birds

There are sixteen pairs of Pied Oystercatchers and they have varying success at raising young birds. To the north they are very unlucky with predation before the eggs even hatch out, but to the south the eggs hatch out and then the predation occurs on the chicks.

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Pied Oystercatcher breeding season starts early!

10,000 Birds

Traditionally since 2000 we have encountered our first Pied Oystercatcher eggs in the first week of July, but this year one pair have decided to start laying eggs early! Sadly they have already lost one clutch of eggs to predation, so by July 1st this year they are on their second clutch. Pied Oystercatcher nest.

Breeding 100
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Pied Oystercatcher broken wing display

10,000 Birds

The first eggs are laid during the first week of July each year and if these eggs fail to hatch or the chicks are lost they will lay further eggs within a few weeks. Sadly a lot of eggs are lost to feral cats and chicks are sometimes taken by birds of prey. Nest site with 3 eggs-one white!

2002 166
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Feral Cats Are An Invasive Species in North America (and elsewhere)

10,000 Birds

I once knew a guy who kept and raised cats. I find it astonishing that people argue of whether feral cats are bad for birds in North America. This almost certainly can be argued to be true just on the basis of logic, because feral Cats are proficient hunters and are entirely out of ecological place. Unless we put them there.

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Construction of a Pied Oystercatcher nest

10,000 Birds

One of our male Pied Oystercatchers has been marked with an engraved leg flag “A1” and was one of the first pairs to lay eggs this season. Sadly the two chicks did not survive very long at all and the pair of Pied Oystercatchers were soon getting ready to lay more eggs. “A1” Preparing another nest site.

Eggs 106
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Australia’s extinct and threatened bird species

10,000 Birds

Foxes have also been known to take their eggs and there are now numerous local groups who endeavour to help the populations of Hooded Plovers along their local coastlines. The huge population of feral cats undoubtedly is having a detrimental effect on our bird life.

Species 174