: A stout, robin-sized bird with short legs and a slightly upturned, wedge-shaped bill.
: They are among the few shorebirds strong enough to hammer or pry open barnacles, limpets, and mussels from wave-washed rocks. black turnstone
: In winter, they are a dark, smoky blackish-brown that blends seamlessly into the wet, seaweed-covered rocks of the Pacific Northwest. : A stout, robin-sized bird with short legs
: In heavy seaweed, they have been known to "snowplow," shoving their entire body into the debris to uncover prey. A Very Specific Home : In heavy seaweed, they have been known
The Black Turnstone has one of the most limited breeding ranges of any shorebird, making it a high-priority species for conservationists at groups like Audubon . Breeding in the Arctic
: They may look drab on the ground, but in flight, they reveal a bold, high-contrast black-and-white pattern on their wings and back. Life as a "Barnacle-Buster"
They hatch in the high-latitude marshes of western and northern Alaska, specifically the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Pairs are remarkably loyal, often returning to the exact same nesting site with the same mate year after year. Consider the Black Turnstone, a Master of Camouflage