Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Ruddy Turnstones are shorebirds that flip pebbles and seaweed with their short bills to uncover food. Along both U.S. coasts, their orange legs and bold spring pattern help them stand out among shorebirds.

Appearance

Appearance: Breeding birds have a black-and-white face and a rusty, black, and white back. Outside breeding season they are browner, but the orange legs and stout, slightly upturned bill remain useful clues.

Look-alikes

Black TurnstoneArenaria melanocephala

Black Turnstones (Arenaria melanocephala) on the Pacific coast are darker and lack the Ruddy Turnstone’s rusty back. Their legs are usually dark, though some look dark red or pinkish.

Why they get mixed upBoth flip stones on rocky shores.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: rocky shores
sandy beaches
mudflats
Range: They breed in the Arctic, including Alaska. In the United States, they pass through coastal stopovers and many spend the winter on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
When it’s recorded: Recorded year-round, every year · most records in May
5,979 observations in the US · 10 years · for referenceChoose a state

Behavior

Diet: On U.S. shores they eat small , , insects, and sometimes unattended bird eggs. At Delaware Bay in spring, they also eat eggs of the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).
Activity: They turn pebbles, shells, and seaweed to find prey underneath.

Life cycle

Nest: In the North American Arctic, the female chooses a shallow hollow on the ground near wet .
Clutch size: 2–5 eggs

Name and classification

About the name: The and Canadian Ruddy Turnstones are two named .

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NTNear ThreatenedCould become threatened before long
Status: U.S. monitoring reports a marked long-term decline.

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