Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Locally common & widespread Winter visitors of 5,000 birds in Britain from August-May.

Breeds in the high Arctic.

Breeding birds have reddish-brown upper parts with black markings. The head is mainly white with black streaks on the crown and a black pattern on the face.

The breast is mainly black apart from a white patch on the sides.

In flight it reveals a white wingbar, white patch near the base of the wing and white lower back, rump and tail.

Winter Birds are duller & have dark grey-brown 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.

They have a rattling call.