Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone - IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

This ruddy turnstone is missing its right foot

This small shorebird is called a ruddy turnstone. They are found on beaches across the world. In the United States, we can find them on both coasts, typically in the spring and fall. Despite sounding like a beach bum bird, these birds migrate north all the way to the artic to breed. They have an incredible range for such a small bird. I photographed this ruddy turnstone on the west coast of Florida. More specifically, this photo was taken at Fort De Soto Park just south of St. Petersburg, Florida. To get back and forth from their long migrations, these birds have evolved to become fast flyers. Ruddy turnstones can average as fast as 47 mph.

Black Skimmer

Although it is hard to tell in this photo, this ruddy turnstone is missing its right foot, likely from predation. Their legs are orange and help make them an easy bird to identify. Like many birds, ruddy turnstones have different plumages based on their age. I believe the ruddy turnstone in this photo is a non-breeding adult. These birds will grow to about 9 inches long with a wingspan of around 20 inches. They tend to weigh around 3-5 ounces.

Where to find them? Look for ruddy turnstones near the water’s edge. I've typically seen them in groups. These birds will spook if you approach them too quickly. However, if you catch them when they are searching for food and distracted, it is possible to approach slowly and get close. For this photo, I was lying on my stomach completely still. I noticed the ruddy turnstones did not seem to mind me. As they continued to dig inside the bivalves for scraps of food, they would get closer and closer to me. If you look closely, you can see the small fleshy piece the ruddy turnstone has between its bill.

Laughing Gull

What else do ruddy turnstones eat? These birds have a diverse pallet. They eat seaweed flies, bird eggs, beetles, bees, spiders, wasps, small crustaceans, and dead creatures that wash up on the shorelines. You will see these birds flipping stones and shells in an effort to locate their next meal. This is how the bird gets its common name.

Ruddy Turnstone eat seaweed flies, bird eggs, beetles, bees, spiders, wasps, small crustaceans, and dead creatures that wash up on the shorelines

Did you know?

There are only 2 species of turnstones, the Ruddy Turnstone and the Black Turnstone. Both are North American species.
Ruddy turnstones are known to "hammer-probe". This is when they use their bill like a hammer to crack open shells, then forage on the inside by probing with their bill.

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