At all seasons, the plumage is dominated by a harlequin-like pattern of 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. The breast is mainly black apart from a white patch on the sides. The rest of the underparts are white. In flight it reveals a white wingbar, white patch near the base of the wing and white lower back, rump and tail with dark bands on the uppertail-coverts and near the tip of the tail. The female is slightly duller than the male and has a browner head with more streaking. Non-breeding adults are duller than breeding birds and have dark grey-brown upperparts with black mottling and a dark head with little white. Juvenile birds have a pale brown head and pale fringes to the upperpart feathers creating a scaly impression. Birds of the subspecies morinella are smaller with darker upperparts and less streaking on the crown. The Ruddy Turnstone has a staccato, rattling call and also a chattering alarm-call which is mainly given during the breeding season.
Not Threatened.
At all seasons, the plumage is dominated by a harlequin-like pattern of 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. The breast is mainly black apart from a white patch on the sides. The rest of the underparts are white. In flight it reveals a white wingbar, white patch near the base of the wing and white lower back, rump and tail with dark bands on the uppertail-coverts and near the tip of the tail. The female is slightly duller than the male and has a browner head with more streaking. Non-breeding adults are duller than breeding birds and have dark grey-brown upperparts with black mottling and a dark head with little white. Juvenile birds have a pale brown head and pale fringes to the upperpart feathers creating a scaly impression. Birds of the subspecies morinella are smaller with darker upperparts and less streaking on the crown. The Ruddy Turnstone has a staccato, rattling call and also a chattering alarm-call which is mainly given during the breeding season.
It is a fairly small and stocky bird, 22–24 centimetres long with a wingspan of 50–57 centimetres and a weight of 85-150 grams. The dark, wedge-shaped bill is 2–2.5 centimetres long and slightly upturned. The legs are fairly short at 3.5 centimetres and are bright orange
Taxonomy:
- Tringa Interpres Linnaeus, 1758, Gotland, Sweden. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * interpres (Linnaeus, 1758) - Axel Heiberg I and Ellesmere I (N Canadian Arctic), Greenland, N Eurasia and NW Alaska; winters on coasts of W Europe, Africa, S Asia, Australasia and S Pacific islands, with some also on Pacific coast of North America, from California to at least Mexico. * morinella (Linnaeus, 1766) - NE Alaska and most of Arctic Canada; winters from South Carolina and Gulf of Mexico to SC Chile and N Argentina.
It can survive in a wide range of habitats and climatic conditions from Arctic to tropical. The typical breeding habitat is open tundra with water nearby. Outside the breeding reason, it is found along coasts, particularly on rocky or stony shores. It is often found on man-made structures such as breakwaters and jetties.
The Ruddy Turnstone has a varied diet including carrion, eggs and plant material but it feeds mainly on invertebrates. Insects are particularly important in the breeding season. At other times it also takes crustaceans, molluscs and worms. It often flips over stones and other objects to get at prey items hiding underneath; this behaviour is the origin of the name "turnstone". It usually forages in flocks.
It is a monogamous bird and pairs may remain together for more than one breeding season. The nest is a shallow scrape, often with a lining of leaves. It is about 11 centimetres across and 3 centimetres deep. It may be built amongst vegetation or on bare stony or rocky ground. Several pairs may nest close together. A single clutch of two to five eggs is laid with four being most common. The eggs measure about 41 millimetres by 29 and weigh around 17.9 grams. They are smooth, slightly glossy and oval to pear-shaped. They are variable in colour but are commonly pale green-brown with dark brown markings, densest at the larger end. Incubation begins when the first egg is laid and lasts for about 22–24 days. The female is mainly responsible for incubating the eggs but the male may help towards the end. Non-breeding plumage