This is bird note.

Hmm, what birds are those along the shore?

Sandpipers, yes, but which ones? Most are small and brown.

Darn hard to tell apart, but when you spot the sandpiper named ruddy turnstone,

you'll have little doubt.

With its short, bright orange legs and stubby chisel-like bill, the chunky, robin-sized ruddy turnstone stands out among sandpipers.

On taking flight, the turnstone flashes a vivid and unmistakable pattern of dark and light striping across its wings and tail.

And that comical chatter is one of a kind, too.

In spring and summer, the feathers of ruddy turnstones are bright rust, black, and white.

They're the only truly calico-colored shorebird.

Fallen winter finds them a duller brown and white, but they still flourish those vivid stripes

in flight.

Unlike most sandpipers, ruddy turnstones favor rocky beaches and jetties rather than tidal sand or mud.

And about that curious name?

Turnstones do indeed use their stout bills to flip over stones, shells, and mats of seaweed,

exposing small crustaceans and other food.

For Bird Note, I'm Michael Stein.