Written and Photographed by Shanna Weber
The Ruddy Turnstone is a small wading bird from the sandpiper family. This quick bird can be seen along beaches, waterways, and other bodies of water in southwest Florida. Ruddy Turnstones are usually 8-9 inches long, with a wing-span of 20-22 inches, and weigh between 3-5 ounces. The female turnstone can be distinguished by its fuller coloring, browner head, and more distinct streaking.
DIET:
Carrion (decaying flesh of a dead animal or mostly fish in the case of the Turnstone)
Eggs (Turnstones have been documented targeting empty nests of gulls, terns, and ducks)
Plant material/debris
Invertebrates
Insects (sand hoppers and seaweed fleas)
Crustaceans
Mollusks
Worms
BEHAVIORS TO LOCATE PREY:
Routing: tossing plant debris aside
Turning stones: as their names suggests they turn stones over to reveal prey
Digging: uses bill to create holes
Probing: to find sea snails and slugs
Hammer probing: to crack open shells of their prey
Surface pecking: to find surface prey just below the ground
The Ruddy Turnstone can survive in a range of places from Artic conditions to tropical weather. This monogamous bird pairs together for numerous breeding seasons, usually building a shallow nest among vegetation or rocky ground among others nesting Ruddy Turnstones. Typically, these birds lay between 2-5 eggs, usually 4.
For more information on the Ruddy Turnstone and to hear examples of their songs visit:
http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/ruddy-turnstone