Black Turnstone

Fairly common in Sonoma County along the Pacific coast in the winter and during the spring and autumn migration. Mostly absent in June and July. Prefers rocky, wave-swept beaches but may forage anywhere in kelp debris and on tidal mud flats. Often seen in small groups resting at high tide on pilings and docks. Fairly reliably present at Porto Bodega and elsewhere around Bodega Bay.

We usually see Black Turnstone in winter (non-breeding) plumage in Sonoma County when the head, breast, and back are fairly uniformly dark (mostly a very dark umber rather than true black) and the belly and vent are white (photo below). In breeding plumage, acquires a white patch at the lores, a white eyebrow, and white streakiness on the sides of the neck and upper breast (photo above), although there is usually a hint of white behind the eye even in non-breeding plumage. Juvenile is similar to the winter adult. The legs are a dark orange-brown in all plumages, but may appear black at a distance or if covered with sand, mud, or other material. Long median coverts hanging over the sides give the bird a typical disheveled look with the blackish feathers creating an irregular "fringe" that contrasts with the white belly. In flight, dramatic black and white pattern (white on back; white at base of tail, which is tipped with black; white at "shoulder"; and with a white stripe along the entirety of the outstretched wing) is distinctive, but Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is similarly marked. Willet (Tringa semipalmata) also shows black and white in the wings in flight, but Willet is a much larger, long-legged, mostly grey bird without the black and white tail pattern. A number of other shorebirds have fairly bold dark and light patterns in flight. It may be useful to study these before heading out. The newest Peterson guide at time of writing (4th edition, see below) has a good section comparing shorebirds in flight (pp. 154-161).

Often seen with and most likely to be confused with Ruddy Turnstone. The two species look quite different in breeding plumage when Ruddy Turnstone--as its name suggests--has large patches of a ruddy red-brown in the back and wings; a white head and breast but with a black pattern on the breast that makes it look like it's wearing a bib; and orange legs. If the legs are clean and can be seen well, the color difference is enough to distinguish the two birds in any plumage, but especially in non-breeding plumage, when Ruddy Turnstone loses much of its ruddiness and its head darkens.