Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy TurnstoneRuddy TurnstoneRuddy TurnstoneRuddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Silhouette: Elaine R. Wilson (modified) · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Galápagos Islands
4,181 Verified sightings at Galápagos Islands From 2019 to 2026
18,151 Verified sightings across all 87 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the 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.

The ruddy turnstone was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Tringa interpres. The species is now placed together with the black turnstone in the genus Arenaria that was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the ruddy turnstone as the type species. The genus name arenaria is from Latin arenarius, "inhabiting sand", from arena, "sand". The specific interpres means "messenger"; when visiting Gotland in 1741, Linnaeus thought that the Swedish word Tolk, meaning "interpreter" applied to this species, but in the local dialect the word means "legs"... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Galápagos Islands

Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Wandering Tattler
LC

Wandering Tattler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa incana

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Hudsonian Whimbrel

Hudsonian Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius hudsonicus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Least Sandpiper
NT

Least Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris minutilla

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Sanderling
LC

Sanderling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris alba

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Red-necked Phalarope
LC

Red-necked Phalarope

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalaropus lobatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Hudsonian Godwit
VU

Hudsonian Godwit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Limosa haemastica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Semipalmated Sandpiper
NT

Semipalmated Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris pusilla

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lesser Yellowlegs
VU

Lesser Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa flavipes

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Western Sandpiper
LC

Western Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris mauri

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Red Phalarope
LC

Red Phalarope

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalaropus fulicarius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~70%
2 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~50%
3 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~40%
4 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~30%
5 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
6 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
7 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~20%
8 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
9 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
10 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
11 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
12 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
13 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
~10%
14 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
15 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
16 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
17 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
18 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
19 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~10%
20 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
21 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
22 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
~10%
23 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
24 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
25 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
26 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
27 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
28 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
29 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
30 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
31 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
32 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
33 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
34 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
35 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
36 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
<5%
37 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
39 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
40 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
41 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
42 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
<5%
43 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
<5%
44 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
45 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
46 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
47 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
48 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
49 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
50 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
51 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
52 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
53 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
54 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
55 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
56 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
57 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
58 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
59 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
60 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
Insufficient data
61 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
62 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
63 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
64 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
65 Flinders Chase 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
66 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
67 Komodo National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
68 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
69 Main Ridge Forest Reserve 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
Insufficient data
70 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
71 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
Insufficient data
72 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
73 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Insufficient data
74 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
75 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
76 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
77 Nahuel Huapi National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
78 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
79 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
80 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
81 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Insufficient data
82 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
83 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
84 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
85 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data
86 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
87 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Ruddy Turnstone in Galápagos Islands?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Turnstone sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 4,181 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Ruddy Turnstone in Galápagos Islands?

September has the highest sighting rate for Ruddy Turnstone in Galápagos Islands in our monthly data.

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