Ruddy turnstone 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. It is a fairly small and stocky bird, long with a wingspan of and a weight of . The dark, wedge-shaped bill is long and slightly upturned. The legs are fairly short at and are bright orange. In all seasons, the plumage is dominated by a harlequin-like pattern of black and white. Breeding birds have reddish-brown upper parts with black markings.
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