1. small shorebirds that flip over stones and debris to find food underneath
Usage: ornithology; plural form

Examples

• The turnstones worked methodically along the rocky shore, flipping pebbles with their bills.
• We spotted several turnstones feeding among the seaweed at low tide.
• Ruddy turnstones are common migrants along the Atlantic coast.
• The turnstones’ distinctive feeding behavior makes them easy to identify.
• Flocks of turnstones gathered on the mudflats during their spring migration.
• The ornithologist counted dozens of turnstones in the estuary.
• Black turnstones prefer rocky coastlines over sandy beaches.