Sunday 18 September 2022

Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Arenaria melanocephala


 Breeding plumage of Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala) at Monterey, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 100-170g  /  Length: 22-25cm  /  Wingspan: 53cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While the Ruddy Turnstone has the best part of a global distribution along coastlines, the Black Turnstone is found exclusively along the West Coast of North America. It lacks the bold patterning of it's sister species, for a darker more subdued looking bird, albeit one with a subtle greenish irridescence on its black plumage. Almost the entire population breeds in the vast Yukon-Kuskokwim delta in Alaska

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Arenaria
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds on the Alaskan West, and Non-breeding down the whole West Coast
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley and Monterey
 

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