Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

A sturdy, orange-legged shorebird that flips over stones and shells to find food, true to its name.

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About the Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy turnstones are 6.3 to 8.3 inches long with a 19- to 22-inch wingspan. In flight they show bold white and black stripes. They breed on the high Arctic tundra and spend winter on rocky and sandy beaches, mudflats and shorelines. In summer they eat mostly fly larvae and midges, plus spiders and other insects, and they sometimes pick at dead fish washed up on shore.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Arenaria interpres^[1]
Size: 6.3 to 8.3 inches long; 19- to 22-inch wingspan.^[1]
Lifespan: Average 6 to 7 years; oldest known 19 years.^[1]
Diet: Insects such as fly larvae and midges, plus spiders and washed-up dead fish.^[1]
Habitat: Arctic tundra and rocky shores in summer; beaches, mudflats and shorelines in winter.^[1]
Where it lives: Breeds in the high Arctic; winters over a very wide range.^[1]
Group life: Territorial when nesting; flocks with other shorebirds otherwise.^[1]
Babies: 2 to 5 eggs, incubated for 21 to 24 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2024).^[2]

Fun facts

Several turnstones sometimes work together to flip a big object.^[1]
Some ruddy turnstones travel 6,500 miles.^[1]
They make clicking sounds to distract predators.^[1]

Vocabulary

shorebird: A bird that lives and feeds along beaches, mudflats and other shorelines.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
scrape: A shallow hollow in the ground that a bird uses as a nest.
tundra: A cold, treeless plain in the far north.
near threatened: A conservation label meaning a species may soon be at risk of dying out if things don't improve.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Ruddy turnstone.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/ruddy-turnstone (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Arenaria interpres (Ruddy Turnstone).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22693336/254413189 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

More Shorebirds

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