Dunlin

Calidris alpina Order: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)
Dunlin Portrait
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General

Dunlin: Medium-sized sandpiper with black-streaked, red-brown upperparts, conspicuous black belly patch, and streaked breast. Bill is long and slightly decurved. Sexes are similar. Winter adult has plain gray upperparts, faintly spotted gray breast and white underparts. Juvenile is browner with a scaled appearance.

Range and Habitat

Dunlin: Breeds from western and northern Alaska east to Hudson Bay. Spends winters along coasts from southern Alaska and Massachusetts southward; also in Eurasia. Nests on tundra and winters on beaches, mudflats, sand flats, inland lakes, and river shores.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"cheezp", "kreeep", "treezp"

Interesting Facts

 Dunlin flocks are often huge, and are most impressive when they display their coordinated aerial maneuvers trying to escape predation by Peregrine Falcons and Merlins.

 Hybrids between this species and the White-rumped Sandpiper as well as with the Purple Sandpiper have been reported from the Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe.

 A group of dunlins are collectively known as a "flight", "fling", and "trip" of dunlins.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Dunlin

Related Birds

Sanderling
Stilt Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Red Knot
Red-necked Phalarope
Wilson's Phalarope
Red Phalarope
Broad-billed Sandpiper
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Family Sandpiper (Scolopacidae)_blue
Species Calidris alpina
Length7.5 - 8.5 Inches
Wingspan15.125 Inches

Dunlin

Dunlin: Medium-sized sandpiper with black-streaked, red-brown upperparts, conspicuous black belly patch, and streaked breast. The black bill is long and slightly decurved. Legs and feet are black. Wades in shallows and uses bill to probe and pick up food. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Song: "cheezp", "kreeep", "treezp"

● Foraging & Feeding: Dunlin: Diet consists of insects, marine worms, small crustaceans, snails, and small fish. Wades in shallows and uses its bill to probe and pick up food; probes with a rapid up and down stitching motion.

● Breeding & nesting: Dunlin: Four olive, blue green or buff eggs marked with brown and gray are laid in a grass clump on a dry hummock on the open tundra. Incubation ranges from 20 to 23 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Dunlin: Rock Sandpiper has less black on belly and has yellow legs. Purple Sandpiper is darker gray above and has yellow legs.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
Dunlin Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Dunlin: Breeds from western and northern Alaska east to Hudson Bay. Spends winters along coasts from southern Alaska and Massachusetts southward; also in Eurasia. Nests on tundra and winters on beaches, mudflats, sand flats, inland lakes, and river shores.
BreedingMonogamous
Population
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.9 Ounces