Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
The Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is a common sandpiper found in 203 countries, weighing about 136 g. The ruddy turnstone is a small cosmopolitan wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria.
About the Ruddy Turnstone
The ruddy turnstone is a small cosmopolitan wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
It is a fairly small and stocky bird, 22–24 cm (8.7–9.4 in) long with a wingspan of 50–57 cm (20–22 in) and a weight of 85–150 g (3.0–5.3 oz). The dark, wedge-shaped bill is 2–2.5 cm (0.79–0.98 in) long and slightly upturned. The legs are fairly short at 3.5 cm (1.4 in) and are bright orange. In all seasons, the plumage is dominated by a harlequin-like pattern of brown, black and white. Breeding birds have reddish-brown upper parts with black markings. The head is mainly white with black streaks on the crown and a black pattern on the face.
What the Ruddy Turnstone sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Benin, Cameroon, Comoros, Niue, Congo - Brazzaville, Nigeria, Iraq, Nauru.
When to see it
The Ruddy Turnstone can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Ruddy Turnstone?
- It is a fairly small and stocky bird, 22–24 cm (8.7–9.4 in) long with a wingspan of 50–57 cm (20–22 in) and a weight of 85–150 g (3.0–5.3 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Ruddy Turnstone?
- The Ruddy Turnstone is a medium sized bird weighing about 136 g.
- Where can you see a Ruddy Turnstone?
- The Ruddy Turnstone occurs in 203 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada and Spain.
- What does a Ruddy Turnstone sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Ruddy Turnstone on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Ruddy Turnstone?
- The Ruddy Turnstone is most easily confused with the Black Turnstone.
- Is the Ruddy Turnstone endangered?
- The Ruddy Turnstone is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Ruddy Turnstone for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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