Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
- GenusArenaria (Turnstones)
- SpeciesArenaria interpres (Ruddy Turnstone)
The ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is a small cosmopolitan wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae. It is a highly migratory bird, breeding in northern parts of Eurasia and North America, and flying south to winter on coastlines almost worldwide. It is the only species of turnstone in much of its range and is often known simply as turnstone. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Turnstone sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 70 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Table Mountain National Park
Upland Sandpiper
Bartramia longicauda
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Sanderling
Calidris alba
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Baird's Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii
Little Stint
Calidris minuta
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponica
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
African Snipe
Gallinago nigripennis
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Ruddy Turnstone in Table Mountain National Park?
About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Turnstone sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 70 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Ruddy Turnstone in Table Mountain National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Ruddy Turnstone in Table Mountain National Park in our monthly data.