Ruddy Turnstone Photo Gallery

Breeding adult

Short, stocky, oval-shaped shorebird with a stout and slightly upturned bill. Breeding birds have a calico patterned back and a black-and-white face. Note orange legs.

Nonbreeding adult

Short, stocky, oval-shaped shorebird with a stout and slightly upturned bill. Nonbreeding birds have a brown ghosting of the breeding plumage pattern and orange legs.

Breeding adult

Stout body tapers to a slender tail. Walks along shorelines turning over rocks and debris to look for flies and midges hiding underneath.

Nonbreeding/immature

In flight, note the white stripe down the back, a black tail stripe, a white rump, and white stripes down the wings.

Breeding adult

Juvenile

Juveniles look like nonbreeding birds, but have rusty edges to the feathers on the upperparts.

Juvenile

Breeding adult

Flips rocks, pebbles, and seaweed along shorelines in search of food with stout but sharply pointed bill.

Nonbreeding adult

Stocky and short-legged shorebird with orange legs. Nonbreeding birds are brownish overall with a rounded brown chest patch.

Habitat

Breeds in the tundra. Uses freshwater shorelines, mudflats, rocky shorelines, and sandy beaches during migration and winter.