American Oystercatcher success stories

There is still a lot of the summer nesting season yet to come but American Oystercatchers have been relatively successful across much of Connecticut this season. Their breeding numbers in terms of nesting pairs and fledged young have both improved over last season to this point. At the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point we had three pairs this year that fledged three chicks already. Here is one of them with their young one.

This chick can now fly and is becoming more independent every day.

Numbers are far from complete across the state as chicks are still hatching and others have yet to fledge. We will not know the final tally until a few months from now, but so far things are well. I am pleased with their progress which has been aided greatly by our volunteer monitors (thanks to them!) and the staff of the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds.


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

Photos by Scott Kruitbosch © Connecticut Audubon Society and not to be reproduced without explicit CAS permission