A rare species of oystercatcher has been recently spotted around the coastline of Bandar Ganaveh in the southern province of Bushehr, the head of the provincial Department of Environment office announced. According to Mohammad Tolideh, the bird was sighted during a bird-watching tour held in the bay earlier this week, and was immediately reported to Iran Bird Record Committee for documentation and necessary protective measures. "The family and the exact categorization of the bird will be soon determined," IRNA quoted Tolideh as saying. Oystercatchers are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. Species living inland, feed on earthworms and insect larvae. The diet of coastal oystercatchers is more varied, although dependent on coast types. Oystercatchers are among the vulnerable species worldwide. One species became extinct during the 20th century, the Canary Islands oystercatcher. Another, the Chatham oystercatcher, which is endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, is listed as endangered by the IUCN, while both the African and Eurasian oystercatchers are considered near threatened.
