The Sooty Oystercatcher has a black body and a red-orange bill. Along Australian coasts it searches for shellfish and other small animals, and it may form flocks outside the breeding season.
It is black overall, with pink legs and a red-orange bill and eye-ring.
On rocky coasts and tidal flats it eats shellfish and other invertebrates. It may gather in large flocks outside the breeding season.
It eats crabs, marine worms, sea urchins, and starfish as well as mollusks, using its long bill to stab at prey or hammer food open.
On Bowen Island in Booderee National Park, pairs breed, share parenting duties, and defend their territory.
Adults have bright red eyes.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.