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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Overview
Black Turnstone: Medium sandpiper, scaled black upperparts, white spot between eye and bill, black breast with white speckles on sides, and white belly. Short, dark bill slightly upturned. Back, wings, and rump display a dramatic black-and-white pattern in flight. Swift flight on rapid wing beats.
Range and Habitat
Black Turnstone: Breeds on western and southern coasts of Alaska. Spends winters along the west coast from Alaska south to Baja California and Sonora, Mexico. Breeding habit includes marshy coastal tundra; found on seaweed-covered rocky shores in fall and winter.
Topo Map:
Sandpiper-like Body
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"skirrr"
Interesting Facts
The Black Turnstone often show strong site and mate fidelity when breeding; nesting at the same exact site with the same mate year after year.
The female often leaves after two weeks, leaving the remaining parental care to the male.
A group of sandpipers has many collective nouns, including a "bind", "contradiction", "fling", "hill", and "time-step" of sandpipers.
Bird Term Glossary
Author
Gary Owen Dick
Artist
Santiago Cornejo
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