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Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Vuelvepiedras Rojizo,
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Non-breeding plumage -
Photo: C. Ruiz
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Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Vuelvepiedras Rojizo,
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Non-breeding plumage -
Photo: C. Ruiz
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IDENTIFICATION: In breeding plumage, the Ruddy Turnstone has a rufous and black back, and a dramatic, white-and-black head and breast pattern; the short legs are bright red. In winter, the back and head are a dull brown. Length: 21-26 cm.; weight: 84-190 g. VOICE: A squeaky chatter. Audio (M. Oberle). HABITAT: Mudflats; sandy and rocky beaches. HABITS: The turnstone flips over pebbles and stranded beach algae looking for food. It probes in mud as well, searching for crustaceans, molluscs, insects and worms. On its Arctic breeding grounds it sometimes eats other birdsÆ eggs. The female builds a simple nest of leaves, twigs and moss in a scrape on the tundra. Both sexes incubate the 3-4 eggs for 22-24 days. Both parents lead the young away from the nest soon after hatching, and the chicks immediately feed themselves. Shortly afterward the female abandons them, leaving the male to brood and protect the young until they can fly about 19-21 days after hatching. STATUS AND CONSERVATION: A common winter resident of Puerto Rico. RANGE: Breeds on the far northern tundra near the Arctic Ocean in North America and Eurasia. Winters in coastal areas of the USA south through the West Indies to southern South America. In Puerto Rico, regular near Cabo Rojo and at San JuanÆs Parque Central. TAXONOMY: CHARADRIIFORMES; SCOLOPACIDAE; Scolopacinae |
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Molting -
Photo: G. Beaton
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Breeding plumage -
Photo: G. Beaton
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Photo: A. Sßnchez
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Photo: A. Sßnchez
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Photo: J. Hornbuckle
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References Bent, A.C. 1927. Life histories of North American shore birds, part 1. Smithsonian Instit. U.S. National Museum Bull. 142. (Reprinted by Dover Press, NY, 1962). Collazo, J.A., B.A. Harrington, J. Grear, and J.A. Colón. 1995. Abundance and distribution of shorebirds at the Cabo Rojo salt flats, Puerto Rico. J. Field Ornithol. 66:424-438. del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, eds. 1996. Handbook of Birds of the World, Vol. 3. Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Ehrlich, P.R., D.S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The birderÆs handbook: a field guide to the natural history of North American birds. Simon and Schuster/ Fireside, NY. Hayman, P., J. Marchant, and T. Prater. 1986. Shorebirds: an identification guide. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Nettleship, D. N. 2000. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). No. 538 in The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Paulson, D. 1993. Shorebirds of the Pacific Northwest. Univ Washington, Seattle. Raffaele, H.A. 1989. A guide to the birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Princeton. Raffaele, H.A. 1989. Una guía a las aves de Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes. Publishing Resources, Inc., Santurce, PR. Raffaele, H.A., J.W. Wiley, O.H. Garrido, A.R. Keith, and J.I. Raffaele. 1998. Guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton. Saliva, J.E. 1994. Vieques y su fauna: Vieques wildlife manual. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Boquerón, PR. Wunderle, J.M., Jr., R.B. Waide, and J. Fernández. 1989. Seasonal abundance of shorebirds in the Jobos estuary in southern Puerto Rico. J. Field Ornithol. 60:329-339. Next related species in taxonomic order Previous related species in taxonomic order |