Medium. Small, stocky, with short upcurved chisel-like bill, short legs. Sexes similar.
Adults: Breeding: Head, entire upperparts, black. Eyebrow, white. Eye, black. White lore spot. Sides of neck and breast have white spotting. Underparts, white. Dark breast is separated from underparts with an even line. Median wingcoverts, black, edged in white, and long and hang over the edge of the folded wing. In flight, shows distinctive white back patch and white band at base of tail, and white wingcoverts patch and white wing bar. Bill, black. Legs, dark orange-brown. Non-breeding: Like breeding but browner, although it looks black. Some scapulars are edged white. Breast, neck, head, lack any white.
Juveniles: Like non-breeding but more extensively blackish-brown on head and upperparts. Median coverts are shorter and edged with white. Legs, paler with a flesh or orange tone.
Family
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers, Snipes, Phalaropes)
Voice
A chattering 'keert' uttered in flight, higher pitched than Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). A long low rattle or clear nasal 'weepa weepa weepa..' uttered in alarm
Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala) [XC599318]
by Tayler Brooks from Cayucos, San Luis Obispo County, California, United States (call)
Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala) [XC530177]
by Thomas Magarian from Seaside Cove, Clatsop County, Oregon, United States (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Similar size. Has brown or rufous upperparts. Has an uneven black bib and white throat. Legs are usually bright orange.
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet