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Glite Dictionary
ruddy turnstone

ruddy turnstone

1 9.1
A medium shorebird with reddish-brown and black feathers that turns stones to find food
  • noun
  • /ˈrʌdi ˈtɜrnˌstoʊn/
translation icon : vuelvepiedras
  • The ruddy turnstone is famous for its long migratory journey from the Arctic to Australia.
  • ruddy turnstone and red knot

Examples

  • Have you ever seen a ruddy turnstone on the beach?

  • Flocks of ruddy turnstones can often be seen turning over stones along rocky shorelines in search of insects.

  • During spring, the distinctive patterns of the ruddy turnstone make it easy to spot among other wading birds.

  • The ruddy turnstone is known for its striking plumage.

  • The ruddy turnstone is easily recognized by its vibrant reddish-brown plumage during the breeding season.

  • During my trip to the coast, I spotted a ruddy turnstone searching for food among the rocks.

  • Every winter, the ruddy turnstone migrates thousands of miles to escape the Arctic cold.

Synonyms

turnstone
vsruddy turnstone
1 9.0

A small bird that lives by the sea and flips stones to find food

is more specific noting reddish markings and Arctic to southern migration
Arenaria interpres
vsruddy turnstone
  • Specialized
9.9

A shore bird that breeds in the Arctic and winters in South America or Australia

is the scientific name for the same bird

Surface Forms

ruddy turnstone singular
ruddy turnstones plural

Morphology

ruddy + turnstone

The compound is directly compositional: 'ruddy' denotes a reddish hue and 'turnstone' is a shorebird that flips stones, so the phrase denotes a turnstone with reddish coloration. This color+bird naming pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Ruddy turnstone gets its name from what the bird does and how it looks: turnstone refers to how it 'turns stones' on the shore to find food, and ruddy means 'reddish-brown'. So the name describes a shorebird that flips stones to feed and has red-brown feathers.