Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is in the Sandpipers and Allies family (Scolopacidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 28,301 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: spring and fall migrant. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
Conservation status (iNaturalist): NT.
When to photograph Ruddy Turnstone: observations by month (U.S.)
About Ruddy Turnstone
The ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. The scientific name is from Latin. The genus name arenaria derives from arenarius, "inhabiting sand, from arena, "sand". The specific interpres means "messenger"; when visiting Gotland in 1741, Linnaeus thought that the Swedish word Tolk "interpreter" applied to this species, but in the local dialect the word means "legs" and is used for the redshank.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Ruddy Turnstone by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 10,071 | December | Aug–May |
| Texas | 5,627 | April | Aug–May |
| Hawaii | 1,568 | January | Aug–Apr |
| California | 1,472 | August | Jul–Apr |
| New Jersey | 1,397 | May | May–May |
| North Carolina | 1,214 | August | Aug–Nov |
| South Carolina | 834 | August | Aug–Mar |
| Massachusetts | 831 | August | Aug–Sep |
| New York | 702 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Delaware | 487 | May | May–May |
| Alabama | 485 | May | Mar–May |
| Virginia | 454 | May | May–May |
| Maryland | 374 | May | May–May |
| Louisiana | 336 | April | Apr–May |
| Georgia | 309 | May | May–May |
| Mississippi | 301 | April | Mar–May |
| Connecticut | 180 | May | May–May |
| Rhode Island | 173 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Illinois | 170 | May | May–May |
| Michigan | 159 | May | May–May |
| Alaska | 156 | May | May–Sep |
| Ohio | 152 | May | May–May |
| Maine | 139 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Oregon | 123 | May | May–May |
| Minnesota | 89 | May | May–May |
| Wisconsin | 87 | May | May–May |
| Washington | 81 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Missouri | 34 | May | May–May |
| Vermont | 31 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Nebraska | 29 | May | May–May |
| Tennessee | 28 | September | Sep–Sep |
| North Dakota | 27 | May | May–May |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | May | May–May |
| Colorado | 18 | May | May–May |
| New Hampshire | 18 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Oklahoma | 18 | May | May–May |
| Kansas | 17 | May | May–May |
| Indiana | 16 | May | May–May |
| New Mexico | 13 | September | Sep–Sep |
| South Dakota | 13 | May | May–May |
| Arizona | 10 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Iowa | 9 | May | May–May |
| Utah | 9 | May | May–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Sandpipers and Allies)
Willet
Sanderling
Least Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Marbled Godwit
Long-billed Curlew
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ruddy Turnstone?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from August to May.
Where is Ruddy Turnstone most often seen?
The most observations come from Florida, Texas, Hawaii.