Ruddy Turnstone in Galápagos: Facts and Where to See It

The name says what it does: with its stout, slightly upturned bill, the turnstone flips stones, seaweed and debris on the beach to uncover insects and small crustaceans underneath.

• Grip on wet rock. Somewhat spiny feet with short, sharply curved claws and a low centre of gravity keep it steady on slippery rocks.
• Fat as fuel. Like other shorebirds, it builds up fat to power its migrations; birds that do not put on enough leave later or may not arrive.
• Only two turnstones. Of about 350 shorebird species in the world, only two are turnstones: the ruddy and the black turnstone.

Ruddy turnstones are long-distance migrants. They breed on the Arctic tundra and spend the rest of the year on rocky shores and sandy beaches in North and South America, Eurasia, Africa and Australia. Young birds fly for the first time at about 19 days and set off on a migration of thousands of miles two days later, on their own, because their parents have already left. Birds breeding in western Alaska and eastern Siberia even take different routes north and south.

Guide sighting records list turnstones at 2 sites. Cerro Brujo on San Cristóbal, a beach landing, is rated Possible, and the Isabela Wetlands near Puerto Villamil Rare. Look along the tideline and on rocks just above the water.

As Arctic breeders, turnstones are mainly visitors outside the northern summer. The guide records list them at their sites in every month. In the next twelve months, 314 departures stop at a site where they are seen.

No, it is listed as Least Concern. Like all migrants that depend on good feeding before long flights, turnstones are sensitive to disturbance on the beaches where they refuel. In Galápagos, park rules keep visitors at least 2 metres (6 feet) from wildlife and on marked trails.

1. Walking along the tideline. That is where they feed; stay a little higher on the beach.
2. Overlooking them. Their pattern blends with rocks and seaweed.
3. Counting on many. The guide records rate the two sites Possible and Rare.