turnstones
Rock-flipping waders
Turnstones are stocky shorebirds in the sandpiper family, named for their habit of flipping over stones, shells, and seaweed with their wedge-shaped bills to find invertebrates hiding underneath.
The two species—ruddy turnstone and black turnstone—are found along rocky and sandy coastlines worldwide during migration and winter months.
We spotted several turnstones working the tide line, methodically overturning debris.
Coastal bird species
- waderShallow-water walker
- ruddyReddish in complexion
- blackDarkest possible hue
- ploverCompact coastal wading bird
sandpiper · migrant · coastal · rocky · intertidal · plumage · breeding · nonbreeding
Turning over rapidly
- seaweedSaltwater aquatic plants
- debrisScattered broken fragments
- invertebratesAnimals without vertebral columns
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
mollusks · insects · carrion · eggs · opportunistic · scavenging · technique · feeding
Stone-covered coastal margins
- beachesSandy coastal areas
- tidal flatsCoastline exposed at low water
- mudflatsCoastal areas exposed at low tide
- jettiesStructures extending into water
breakwaters · coastline · estuary · sandbar · reef · tide pools · seawall · harbor
shorebird
Coastal bird species
plover · sandpiper · migrant · coastal · rocky · intertidal · plumage · breeding · nonbreeding · juvenile
flipping
Turning over rapidly
- seaweedSaltwater aquatic plants
- debrisScattered broken fragments
- invertebratesAnimals without vertebral columns
crustaceans · mollusks · insects · carrion · eggs · opportunistic · scavenging · technique · feeding · pecking
rocky shores
Stone-covered coastal margins
- beachesSandy coastal areas
- tidal flatsCoastline exposed at low water
- mudflatsCoastal areas exposed at low tide
jetties · breakwaters · coastline · estuary · sandbar · reef · tide pools · seawall · harbor · pier