Oyster Catchers (Charadriiformes)

Variable Oyster Catchers

Variable Oyster Catcher (Haematopus unicolor) (Toreo Pango)

Confined to New Zealand, the variable oyster catcher occurs almost everywhere along the coastline of all three islands. The bird gets it's name from it's variable plumage, generally black in the South Island, but can also so be found in a pied phase in the upper South and North Island.