Black turnstone

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 largely black and white in appearance. Breeding-plumaged adults have a black head and breast apart from a white spot between the eye and bill, a white stripe over the eye and white flecks on the sides of the breast. The upperparts are blackish-brown with pale fringes to the wing-coverts and scapular feathers. The belly and vent are white. In flight it shows a white wingbar, white shoulder patch and white tail with a broad black band across it. There is white from the lower back to the uppertail-coverts apart from a dark bar across the rump.

The Black turnstone is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Black Turnstone is one of the characteristic shorebirds of the Pacific Coast, often seen foraging for invertebrates in the rocky intertidal zone along with its fellow "rockpipers"-Ruddy Turnstone, Wandering Tattler, Surfbird, and Rock Sandpiper. As with these other species that favor the rocky coastline, Black Turnstone is constantly at risk to the threat of oil spills. This species is also highly susceptible to possible catastrophes on its' limited breeding grounds in western Alaska. More

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. More

Black Turnstone in winter plumage Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Subclass: Neornithes Infraclass: Neoaves Order: Charadriiformes Suborder: Scolopaci Family: Scolopacidae (partim) Genus: Arenaria More

Black Turnstone: Song is a grating rattle. Similar Species Black Turnstone: Ruddy Turnstone is browner and has a pale area within dark breast bands, brighter red legs, and may show traces of rust-brown on back. Surfbird is paler and has yellow legs. . Home | Search | Browser | Expert | Forum | Store | My Whatbird | Help | Site Map © 2002 - 2007 www.whatbird.com All rights reserved. More

Black Turnstone: Breeds on western and southern coasts of Alaska. Spends winters along the west coast from Alaska south to Baja California and Sonora, Mexico. Breeding habit includes marshy coastal tundra; found on seaweed-covered rocky shores in fall and winter. More

Adult Black Turnstones in breeding plumage. Black Turnstones (Arenaria melanocephala) in their breeding plumage is marked by a white eyebrow and lore spot. Unlike the Ruddy Turnstone, the Black Turnstone is a common breeder on the Seward Peninsula. They prefer wet meadow areas and river and creek deltas. In July they will group in large numbers along Shishmaref Inlet. They feed on insects and seeds. More

The Black Turnstone is one of the defining species for the rocky, wave-battered Pacific Coast. It blends in well with the dark rocks, but a careful winter observer will find it from Alaska through Baja California. It is rarely found far from the vicinity of spraying waves. More

Black Turnstone in summer plumage. The Ruddy Turnstone (or just Turnstone in Europe), Arenaria interpres, has a circumpolar distribution, and is a very long distance migrant, wintering on coasts as far south as South Africa and Australia. It is thus a common sight on coasts almost everywhere in the world. In breeding plumage, this is a showy bird, with a black-and-white head, chestnut back, white underparts and red legs. More

The Black Turnstone has a variety of calls, especially a rattling trill which can be heard throughout the year. This call is higher and less harsh than the similar call of the Ruddy Turnstone. Other calls include a loud, screeching alarm call and a soft, purring call uttered to young chicks. Displaying males produce a long series of staccato notes in flight as well as chirruping trills on the ground. More

FIRST OCCURRENCE OF BLACK TURNSTONE IN ARIZONA Mark Stevenson, 4201 E. Monte Vista Dr. #J207, Tucson, AZ 85712, drbrdr@att.net - On the evening of 2 June 2005, Tucson birder Roger Eastman was birding at “Cochise Lake,” the large holding pond for treated wastewater south of the Twin Lakes Golf Course in Willcox, Cochise County. More

Black Turnstone, pictures of Black Turnstone A Black Turnstone showing its wing patterns at Clover Point, in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada Black Turnstone, pictures of Black Turnstone A juvenile Black Turnstones along the rocky shoreline in front of Bowker Street in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada Black Turnstone, pictures of Black Turnstone An adult Black Turnstones resting on a rock at Whiffen Spit, Sooke, near Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada More

during migration, unlike the Black Turnstone, which is only found along the Pacific shorelines. Both types of birds spend their day turning over rocks and debris with their sturdy bills and fairly heavy bodies, in search of food. Usually, the Black Turnstone is located on rocky shorelines, whereas the Ruddy Turnstone is found on both rocky and sandy shorelines. More

North American RangeThe Black Turnstone is a compact, short-billed bird found on rocky shores. All plumages are mostly black with white bellies. Their bellies and underwings are white, and their heads and breasts are black. In flight, they show white on the back, wings, and base of the tail. In breeding plumage, the Black Turnstone has a white mustache and some white on the breast. Its legs are orange-brown and can be quite bright, although not as bright as those of the Ruddy Turnstone. More

Bent Life History for the Black Turnstone - the common name and sub-species reflect the nomenclature in use at the time the description was written. BLACK TURNSTONE ARENARIA MELANOCEPHALA (Vigors) HABITS The black turnstone replaces to a large extent on the Pacific coast our well-known ruddy turnstone; both species are found there on migrations and in winter, but the black is the commoner on that coast, to which it is restricted. More

The Black Turnstone is a medium size, chunky shorebird with mostly black upperparts and breast, a white belly, and dark, reddish-brown legs. black turnstone Female - Same as male. Seasonal change in appearance - White lore spot and eyebrow of breeding birds become dark in the winter. More

Aspects of the topic black turnstone are discussed in the following places at Britannica. Assorted References * description (in turnstone (bird)) The black turnstone (A. melanocephala), which breeds in Arctic Alaska and winters as far south as Mexico, has a black and white wing pattern but is otherwise dark. More

black turnstoneThe black turnstone is a short-legged shore bird that is about 9-10 inches in length. It has black to orange-brown legs; a short, dark bill that is slightly upturned at the end; and white underwings. In breeding season, its head, back, and chest are black. It has a white belly, white eyebrows, and a white mustache at the base of its bill; black and white markings on its head; and a black patch on its chest. More

A Black Turnstone similar to what may be found at the Presidio. Natural History: The Black Turnstone forages along the shore by probing for invertebrates using its bill. It roosts in upland areas during high tide. Nesting in the Alaskan tundra, its migration peaks in August and April. General Distribution: In the Presidio, this species can be found in areas of tidal sand and rock. Frequency: This species is common during the fall, winter, and spring seasons. More

black turnstoneblack turnstone - common turnstone of the Pacific coast of North AmericaArenaria-Melanocephalaturnstone - migratory shorebirds of the plover family that turn over stones in searching for food How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. More

Black Turnstone, Whiffin Spit Park, Sooke, Near Victoria, British Columbia Photograph by Alan And Elaine Wilson. Some rights reserved. BLACK TURNSTONE FACTS - - Description The Black Turnstone is a shorebird with dark wedge shaped bill and dark legs. In the breeding season the adults are black above with white eye stripe, white spots on sides of neck and breast. and white underside. More

The Black Turnstone has a similar structure to its widespread relative, but has black upperparts and chest, and white below. It has a much more restricted range than the Ruddy Turnstone, breeding in western Alaska, and wintering mainly on the Pacific coast of the USA. Its habits are generally similar to Ruddy, but it has a snipe-like aerial breeding display, and a higher-pitched, more fluid call. More

The Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala) is a species of small wading bird. More