The South Carolina coast can best be described as a marine Serengeti. It is comprised of one of the largest estuaries in the nation, including the ACE Basin which boasts more than 350,000 acres of brackish water where creeks and streams flow into the estuary and transition into the Atlantic. As a result of the ebb and flow of the tidal waters in the state's estuaries, the American Oystercatcher is known to hunker down along the coast each winter.

Even those who aren't bird enthusiasts enjoy spotting this migratory bird whose most distinct feature is a long, brightly colored orange beak that happens to be shaped like an oyster knife.

In 2018, the American Bird Conservancy estimated the total population of American Oystercatchers at 43,000.

During mating season (March through July) Oystercatchers thrive along the east coast from New England all the way to Florida.

They're most often spotted at low tide, and where beds of mollusks (usually oysters) are exposed when the tide is low.

Other distinct features that make the American Oystercatcher easy to identify include yellow eyes, a black head and back — and wings that are black on the top, yet white underneath.

The American Oystercatcher grows to be approximately 20 inches in length and between one and two pounds.

On a recent ecological tour of the coast, we were surprised and thrilled to learn that South Carolina is the winter home for most of the American Oystercatchers in the U.S.

Additionally, in recent audits, the American Bird Conservancy has noted that more than 400 pairs of the birds nest here throughout the mating season, making South Carolina their year-round residence.

Females begin laying eggs by age three or four. The eggs are deposited in a narrow and shallow scrape they dig on the ground.

Three to four eggs are laid, and then the pair of parents share incubation duties for 25-27 days.

The newly hatched Oystercatchers are on their feet and walking around in about 24 hours, although the parents will continue feeding them until they're about a year old.

Of note here: the American Oystercatcher is the only coastal bird in the U.S. that actually has to teach its young how to eat.

It will bring oysters and other mollusks back to the nest in order to show them how to pry open the mollusk shells and pry the food out of the shell's cavity. If done incorrectly, there is a chance the mollusk will clamp down on the bird's beak and keep such a strong hold the bird will eventually drown with the incoming tide.

South Carolina's marine Serengeti is fascinating — and even more so knowing that most of the country's Oystercatcher population spends its winters right here in the Palmetto State!

How often do you spot American Oystercatchers along the coast in South Carolina? What other birds often catch your eye when you're at the coast? Feel free to join the discussion (and post your images!) in our Facebook comments.