historically, the american oystercatcher was hunted to near extinction in the 19th century for plumage and eggs. they have recovered significantly since the passage of the migratory bird treaty act in 1918. the iucn lists this species as being of "least concern". the reasons given are that the bird has a very wide range and that the total number of individuals is believed to be stable, and actually increasing in the case of the united states. nevertheless, in some states american oystercatchers are listed as a species of concern because of low and declining populations. the north american population of american oystercatchers was listed on the 2014 state of the birds watch list. although not listed as a federally threatened or endangered species, it is vulnerable to loss of habitat due to development on the coasts and sea level rise. these birds are also threatened by pollution, disease, and invasive species which can impact food availability.