Black Turnstone

This stocky shorebird is striking in its breeding plumage, which is generally all black
with the exception of a snow white belly. In flight, its wings and body flash an intri-
cate black-and-white pattern, making a wheeling flock a spectacular sight. Its rattling
call advertises its presence and helps to keep flocks together.
The Black Turnstone is a common visitor to Vancouver's rocky shores and pebble
beaches—the tips of rocky jetties near Stanley Park, the Tsawwassen ferry terminal
and around bridge abutments are common places to find it. It can be difficult to spot
against the dark background of rocks, however, as it searches for barnacles and
limpets. Sometimes it hammers at their shells with its bill.

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