Black turnstone Black turnstone The black turnstone ("Arenaria melanocephala") is a species of small wading bird. It is one of two species of turnstone in the genus "Arenaria" the ruddy turnstone ("A. interpres") being the other. It is now classified in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae, but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family, Charadriidae. It is native to the west coast of North America and breeds only in Alaska. It is 22–25 centimeters long and weighs 100–170 grams. The black bill is 20–27 millimeters long and slightly upturned. The legs and feet are blackish-brown with a reddish tinge. The bird is
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