Turnstone

Turnstone
Ruddy turnstone in nonbreeding plumage
Black turnstone in winter plumage
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Subfamily: Arenarinae
Genus: Arenaria
Brisson, 1760
Type species
Tringa interpres
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

Arenaria interpres
Arenaria melanocephala

Synonyms
  • Arenarius Dumont, 1805
  • Morinella Meyer in Meyer & Wolf, 1810
  • Strepsialis Hay, 1841
  • Strepsilas Illiger, 1811
  • Strepsilus Nuttall, 1834
  • Stripsilas Stephens in Shaw, 1819
  • Stripselas Stephens in Shaw, 1819

Turnstones are two bird species that constitute the genus Arenaria in the family Scolopacidae. They are closely related to calidrid sandpipers and might be considered members of the tribe Calidriini.[1]

The genus Arenaria was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) as the type species.[2][3] The genus name arenaria is from Latin arenarius, "inhabiting sand", from arena, "sand".[4]

The genus contains two species: the ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) and the black turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala).[5] Both birds are waders. Their length is typically between 20 and 25 cm, with a wingspan between 50 and 60 cm and a body mass between 110 and 130g. For waders their build is stocky, with short, slightly upturned, wedge shaped bills. They have white patches on the back, wings and tail. They are high Arctic breeders, and are migratory. Their strong necks and powerful, slightly upturned bills are adapted to their feeding technique. As the name implies, these species overturn stones, seaweed, and similar items in search of invertebrate prey.[6] They are strictly coastal, prefer stony beaches to sand, and often share beach space with other species of waders such as purple sandpipers.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference thomasetal2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Brisson, Mathurin Jacques (1760). Ornithologie, ou, Méthode Contenant la Division des Oiseaux en Ordres, Sections, Genres, Especes & leurs Variétés (in French and Latin). Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche. Vol. 1, p. 48, Vol. 5, p. 132.
  3. ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1934). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 271.
  4. ^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  5. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2019). "Buttonquail, plovers, seedsnipe, sandpipers". World Bird List Version 9.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  6. ^ Svensson, Lars et al. Collins Bird Guide 2nd ed. Publisher: Collins 2010. ISBN 978-0007268146