Not uncommon along the shores of the Southern States during winter, though the greater number remove much farther south. Breeds in high northern latitudes, Hudson's Bay, and shores of Arctic Seas. Never in the interior.
Turnstone, Tringa Interpres, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 32.
Strepsilas Interpres, Bonap. Syn. p. 299.
Strepsilas Interpres, Turnstone, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 371.
Turnstone or Sea Dotterel, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 30.
Turnstone, Strepsilas Interpres, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 31.
Bill long, slender, straight, or slightly recurvate, higher than broad at the base, extremely compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and slightly sloping at the base, somewhat convex beyond the nostrils, then straight and sloping to the point, the ridge broad and flattened as far as the prominence, afterwards extremely narrow, the sides sloping at the base, perpendicular towards the end, the edges rather sharp, the tip abrupt and wedge shaped; nasal groove long, bare; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the sides erect, the edges thin, the tip abrupt and wedged. Nostrils subbasal, linear, near the margin. Head of moderate size, ovate, the forehead rounded; neck of moderate length; body compact. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare for about a fourth of its length; tarsus slightly compressed, covered all round with hexagonal scales; toes of moderate length, stout, marginate, flat beneath, webbed at the base, the outer considerably longer than the inner, the first wanting. Claws rather small, arched, moderately compressed, obtuse. Plumage generally blended, on the back compact. Wings long, pointed, the first quill longest. Tail short, nearly even, of twelve feathers. Tongue short, triangular, fleshy; oesophagus dilated into a pretty large crop; stomach oblong, muscular, with the epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous; intestine long and rather slender; coeca long and nearly cylindrical; cloaca globular.
325. 1. Hæmatopus palliatus, Temm. American Oyster-catcher.
Bill vermilion, feet very pale flesh-colour; head and neck dull black tinged with bluish-grey; upper parts light greyish-brown, tinged with olive, and faintly glossed with reddish-purple; lower eyelid, edge of wing, tips of secondary coverts, secondary quills except the inner, pure white; as are the lower parts generally, the rump, and basal half of the tail; primaries and terminal part of tail brownish-black.