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Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) Alternate name(s): "Turnstone", "Beach-bird" Size: 21-26 cm; wing span 50-57 cm Body mass: 85-190 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.39-0.51/0.89 (lean/fat)

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Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Ruddy Turnstones are small, relatively short-legged shorebirds. Their plumage changes between breeding and non-breeding season. During the breeding season, Ruddy Turnstones have a black and white pied head, with a striated cap, white cheek patches white neck patches and a black "bib" extending into a black breast band. Belly and vent are white. The wings are mostly greyish brown in the outer parts, with white and brown stripes and a black stripe in between and a black shoulder patch in the middle of the upperparts. The bill is black, with a white base. The short legs and feet are orange. In eclipse the cheeks, cap and wings all turn mottled dark-greyish brown, while the rest of the plumage remains unchanged in colour.

Taxonomy, classification See Ruddy Turnstone at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Ruddy Turnstone is available HERE . Ruddy Turnstones are a strongly migratory global species of waders, of which there are at least two races. They breed in the northern parts of Eurasia and North America. Race "morinella" populates northern Alaska and in Arctic Canada as far East as Baffin Island. Everywhere else nominate race "interpres" is found, e.g. in Europe and Australia. While not breeding, Ruddy Turnstones can be found along the coastlines of all continents except Antarctica, from the southern parts of the northern hemisphere to almost anywhere along the coastlines in the southern hemisphere. On their migration they can also be found mostly along sea shores and only rarely around inland lakes. In Australia Ruddy Turnstones, nominate race "interpres", are non-breeding migrants from the North. They are found mostly along the East coast of the continent, from the tip of Cape York peninsula down to about the NSW/VIC border and also along the East coast of Tasmania. Small populations can also be found along the coast just to the North of Adelaide, SA, and at the northern end of Eighty Mile Beach in WA. There are infrequent sightling along the Top End and in the interior of the Australian continent (except the major sandy deserts and the Great Dividing Range). If birds in breeding plumage are found in Australia, they are usually recent arrivals or late departees seen near the Australian North coast. Ruddy Turnstones are usually found on rocky shores, coastal rockfaces, exposed reefs and wave platforms, often where shells and/or seaweeds are present.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "interpres" A small flock of about 20 Ruddy Turnstones, race "interpres", was first seen by us at Bundjalung NP (northern NSW) in February 2012. Various contributors report spotting Ruddy Turnstones, race "interpres", semi-regularly in and around Darwin, NT. B. Hensen also spotted Ruddy Turnstones on Lord Howe Island, race "interpres", in November 2014. M. Mearns reports spotting Ruddy Turnstones, race "interpres", on Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, in January 2016. J. Greaves spotted a pair of Ruddy Turnstones, race "interpres", at Government Lake, Rottnest Island, WA, in February 2016. M. Eaton found Ruddy Turnstones, race "interpres", at Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, in December 2018, and at Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, in February 2019. Others were spotted at Campsite Beach, Roebuck Bay, near Broome, WA, in June 2026. D. Dyer reports first spotting Ruddy Turnstones, race "interpres", at Cervantes, WA, in April 2021 and again in January 2023.

Photos

Race "interpres"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Lateral view of two Ruddy Turnstones in breeding plumage, with a Greater Sand Plover in the background
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

"Assortment" of waders, with two Lesser Sandplovers in near-breeding plumage (centre and front left), one Ruddy Turnstone in breeding plumage (front right), a second Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (front centre), one Greater Sand Plover in breeding plumage (centre right) and a second Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding plumage (towards the back right); on the right and front right there are also two Red-necked Stints (the smallest birds in the photo) in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Lateral view of two Ruddy Turnstones in near-breeding plumage foraging on rocky soil (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Government Lake, Rottnest Island, WA, February 2016]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Frontal view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Close-up lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Lateral view of two Ruddy Turnstones in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, December 2018]

Lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage displaying its upperwing pattern while stretching a wing
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, June 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Ruddy Turnstone stretching one of its wings, thereby displaying the upperwing pattern
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, December 2018]

Dorsal view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Dorsal view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage found roosting in a tree (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darling Harbour, Darwin, NT, January 2016]

Lateral view of Ruddy Turnstones in non-breeding plumage displaying their upperwing pattern in flight
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, June 2019]

Lateral view of Ruddy Turnstones in non-breeding plumage taking off (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage in flight, together with several other species of waders
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Ruddy Turnstone in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, February 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Ruddy Turnstone in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, February 2020]

Near-dorsal view of Ruddy Turnstones in flight (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lord Howe Island, November 2014]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Direct lateral comparison of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage (back) and a juvenile bird (front); note how the young bird is greyer than the non-breeding adult, which shows more rufous tints and more black on the breast
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Mob/flock

Ruddy Turnstones are non-breeding migrants to Australia. They like to roost in small flocks, often together with other waders.

Ruddy Turnstones resting together with other aquatic species
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

Food, Diet

Ruddy Turnstones feed mostly on molluscs and small crustacians and during the breeding season also insects.

Ruddy Turnstone digging up a small crustacian
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

The animal is dragged out of the sand...
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

... picked up ...
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

... and finally swallowed
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

Lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage probing for prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage digging up small prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Lateral view of a Ruddy Turnstone in non-breeding plumage with its prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]

Two Ruddy Turnstones in non-breeding plumage foraging in washed-up seaweeds (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, April 2021]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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