Haematopus ostralegus; Print; The Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) also known as the common pied oystercatcher; or palaearctic oystercatcher; or (in Europe) just oystercatcher; is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It is the most widespread of the oystercatchers; with three races breeding in western Europe; central Eurasia; Kamchatka; China; and the western coast of Korea. No other oystercatcher occurs within this area.; 1700-1880