Turnstone Turnstone Turnstones are two bird species that comprise the genus Arenaria in the family Scolopacidae. They are closely related to calidrid sandpipers and might be considered members of the tribe Calidriini. The genus name "arenaria" is from Latin "arenarius", "inhabiting sand", from "arena", "sand". Both birds are distinctive medium-sized waders. Roughly speaking, length is typically between 20 and 25 cm, with a wingspan between 50 and 60 cm and a body mass between 110 and 130gm. For waders their build is stocky, with short, slightly upturned, wedge shaped bills. They are high Arctic breeders, and are migratory. Their strong necks
Ruddy turnstone upperparts with black mottling and a dark head with little white. Juvenile birds have a pale brown head and pale fringes to the upperpart feathers creating a scaly impression. Birds of the subspecies "morinella" are smaller with darker upperparts and less streaking on the crown. The ruddy turnstone has a staccato, rattling call and also a chattering alarm-call which is mainly given during the breeding season. The ruddy turnstone breeds in northern latitudes, usually no more than a few kilometres from the sea. The subspecies "A. i. morinella" occurs in northern Alaska and in Arctic Canada as far east as