With a wingspan of 800mm, bold black and white plumage, long red bill, pink legs and stunning red eyes, this has to be my favourite seabird. It is extremely noisy and you can't go too far around the coast without hearing its distinctive call. 

They eat limpets, cockles and mussels, crustaceans and insects and can often be seen scouring the high tide line among the rocks. They are extremely vocal in Spring and early Summer when defending their territory and chicks. They are fearless, I have seen them scare peregrines away when they have flown too close to the oystercatchers' nest.