Back to Field Guide
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
Migration Flyway
Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species
Last Spotted Near You
About the Ruddy Turnstone
The ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is a small cosmopolitan wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae. It is a highly migratory bird, breeding in northern parts of Eurasia and North America, and flying south to winter on coastlines almost worldwide. It is the only species of turnstone in much of its range and is often known simply as turnstone.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Arenaria interpres
- Family
- Sandpipers and Allies
- Order
- Charadriiformes
Similar species
Other members of the sandpipers and allies family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
- American Woodcock Scolopax minor
- Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
- Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
- Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala
- Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
- Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis
- Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper Calidris subruficollis
- Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
- Common Redshank Tringa totanus
- Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
- Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Know when the Ruddy Turnstone turns up near you
How rare bird alerts work →Gear for spotting Ruddy Turnstone
Optics
Best Binoculars for Beginners
You don't need to spend a fortune. These four pairs will get you birding confidently on day one.
8 min readRead guide
Cameras
Cameras for Bird Photography
From phone adapters to dedicated rigs, here's what actually works for capturing birds in the field.
12 min readRead guide