Arenaria interpres
The Ruddy Turnstone, *Arenaria interpres*, is a robust, medium-sized shorebird, typically measuring 22-24 cm in length with a wingspan of 50-57 cm and weighing 100-170 grams. Its most striking features are its bright orange-red legs and a uniquely patterned, somewhat tortoise-shell plumage, especially vibrant in breeding males. During the breeding season, males display a striking rufous-chestnut back, black breast bands, and a complex black and white head pattern. Non-breeding plumage is dull...
Primarily a bird of coastal environments, the Ruddy Turnstone is found on rocky shores, sandy beaches, mudflats, and tundra during breeding, favoring open areas near water.
Their diet primarily consists of marine invertebrates such as crustaceans (crabs, amphipods), mollusks (snails, limpets), and marine worms, supplemented with insects, carrion, and sometimes eggs or plant material.
Ruddy Turnstones are diurnal feeders, though they may forage during moonlit nights. Their iconic foraging technique involves physically flipping over stones, shells, seaweed, and other debris with their stout, upturned bill to expose hidden invertebrates underneath, a behavior shared only by its ...
The Ruddy Turnstone boasts one of the most extensive breeding ranges of any shorebird, occupying the high Arctic and subarctic tundra circumpolarly across North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America, breeding occurs from Alaska across northern Canada and Greenland. Its wintering range is eq...
Least Concern
- The Ruddy Turnstone holds one of the longest migration records for any shorebird, with some individuals traveling over 19,000 miles (30,000 km) annually from Arctic breeding grounds to southern wintering areas and back. - Its scientific name, *Arenaria interpres*, translates roughly to "sand in...