Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

The Ruddy Turnstone is wide-ranging shore-bird breeding in northern Eurasia and America and wintering south of the equator.

Turnstones, the Ruddy and the Black, are related to sandpipers but were previously grouped with plovers. They normally gather in small flocks.

The breeding male of the Ruddy Turnstone, also called just the Turnstone, has ruddy feathers, a black chest and a mainly white head; above left/centre are in transition.

The female and non-breeding males are greyer brown as shown in most of these photos. They are very well camouflaged amongst the stones that they "turn".

This unfortunate turnstone has swallowed a bait hook attached to a line discarded by an angler. It was heartbreaking to watch but it was impossible to catch the bird to release the hook and the bird will probably die a slow death from starvation.

The above 2 photos of Ruddy Turnstones were taken by Alexandra Makhnina in Mexico.