SAFRING results

African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini

1. Numbers ringed with SAFRING rings, 1948-2001

• Total ringed: 2806
• First ringed: 1950/51 ringing year
• Trapping method: Nestlings; Torch netting at night; Nest traps

Number of African Black Oystercatchers ringed per year with SAFRING rings

Note that a total of 8 (average 2 per year) were ringed in the period 1970-73; the individual year totals are not known.

2. Computerised records, 1975-2001

• Number of records: 2787
• Ring sizes used: 2712 with 8 mm, 65 with 10 mm, 8 with 11 mm, 1 with 12.5 mm, 1 with 635-prefix rings
• Recommended ring size: 8 or 10 mm Incoloy or Stainless steel
• Top ringers: 17 ringers; top 5 ringers: Prof P Hockey (1868), Mr A Wolfaardt (232), Mr JP Van der Merwe (169), Ms KM Calf (82), Mr N Smith (55)
• Bird age distribution: Unknown (2), Nestling (2140), Juvenile (88), Immature (6), Adult (529), 0-6 months (16), 1-2 years (4), 2-3 years (1), 3+ years (1)
• Bird sex distribution: Unknown (2355), Male (210), Female (191), Possibly male (10), Possibly female (21)
• Markings: Metal only (886), Metal plus colour rings (1870), Engraved ring (31)
• Condition: Good (2778), Rehabilitated (4), Artificially reared (2), Released away from capture locality (3)
• Birds ringed per region:

  Locality	n
  Western Cape, South Africa	2433
  Eastern Cape, South Africa	230
  Namibia	108

Map of localities where African Black Oystercatchers have been ringed, 1975-2001

3. Biometrics and moult

Mass data (g) for African Black Oystercatchers

Age	n	Min	Mean	Max
Adult	170	507	691.9	850

Moult data

Several birds showed primary moult during November to May.

4. Recovery history (SAFRING's database)

• Number of recoveries: 86 recoveries and 100 recaptures/resightings
• Greatest distance: 1516 km (671159) (Oschadleus 1998).
• Greatest elapsed time: 18y 11m 25d (637167)
• Causes of mortality of ringed birds: Sick or injured (11), Poisoned (6), Entangled with fishing lines or nets (6), Killed by wild mammal (6), Shot (3), rest unknown

5. Ringing references

Hockey, PAR. 1984. Growth and energetics of the African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini. Ardea 72:111-117.

Hockey, PAR, Leseberg, A & Loewenthal, D. in press. Dispersal and migration of juvenile African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini. Ibis (electronic).

[Oschadleus, D.] 1998. Safring news. [African Black Oystercatcher]. Africa - Birds & Birding 3(2):14.

Tree, AJ. 1998. Highlights of a seven-week visit to Namibia in early 1998. Lanioturdus 31:21-27.

Underhill, LG, Tree, AG, Oschadleus, HD & Parker, V. 1999. Review of Ring Recoveries of Waterbirds in Southern Africa. Cape Town: Avian Demography Unit.

6. Research

Read more about the African Black Oystercatcher:

Species text

Oystercatcher conservation programme (OCP)