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Migration
Poorly known. North Atlantic populations from approximately Maryland north are generally migratory (Stewart and Robbins 1958; Palmer 1967), although individuals may linger into winter at certain sites (e.g., Cape Cod, MA; Veit and Petersen 1993). Populations from Virginia south generally resident (Terres 1980).
One bird, banded in Massachusetts as a breeding adult, sighted in Cape Charles, VA, the following Feb (Humphrey 1990). Largest winter concentrations occur in Cape Charles (869 on 29 Dec 1973) and Chincoteaque, VA and Charleston, SC (Kain 1987, Post and Gauthreaux 1989), beginning of Mar. Spring arrivals in Massachusetts end of Mar to mid-Apr; in Massachusetts and New York, birds congregate in large numbers in Aug and early Sep and are dispersed by late Sep (RCH, Zadursky 1985, Veit and Petersen 1993). Breeders non-migratory in Georgia, northern migrants arrive in Aug and early Sep; full winter complement not reached until Oct; flocks break up in Mar (Tomkins 1954).
Nol, Erica and Robert C. Humphrey. 1994. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/082
