A black and white wading bird with a long, bright-red bill which it uses to break into shellfish, each individual inheriting a particular technique from its parents.

The oystercatcher is primarily a shorebird, although it does sometimes breed inland by rivers and lochs. It is more strictly coastal during the winter.

By calling to other oystercatchers they join together to mob predators like crows and gulls. They are adept at breaking into mussels by smashing them with their beak. Interestingly, each oystercatcher uses a specific technique to crack into shells, which is learned from its parents. Oystercatchers are noisy, excitable yet wary birds. They fly low over the shore and sea, and are active and noisy in the night. On prime coastlines they flock in hundreds during the winter.

Oystercatchers establish breeding territories from February to April. They are ground-nesting birds and lay their eggs (usually three) in stone and shell nests in the shingle, sand or scrub on rocks. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 25 days. The young fly at 34-37 days old and the population of oystercatchers moves south in July or August.