Template:POTD/2022-05-13
The variable oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor) is a species of wader in the family Haematopodidae, endemic to New Zealand. The plumage ranges from pied through mottled to all black in different parts of the bird's range. They search for food in shallow water as the tides ebb and flow. Food is mainly located visually but when it is dark or the food is obscured, they will probe the substrate with their bill. The diet consists of a range of molluscs, crustaceans, worms and sometimes small fish. This bird was photographed at Point Chevalier in Auckland, New Zealand.Photograph credit: John Harrison