Dunlin

Dunlin, breeding plumage; Florida, May

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Dunlin, non-breeding plumage; Florida; February

Dunlin, juvenile (molting into Basic I); Cape May, NJ; October

Dunlin, adult; winter plumage; Florida, March

Menu

1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Reproduction
8. Conservation Status
9. Other Names

The Dunlin is a familiar shorebird around the world, where its bright reddish back and black belly, and long, drooping bill distinguish it from nearly all other shorebirds. It breeds across the top of both North American and Eurasia, and winters along coasts around the northern hemisphere.

Cool Facts

• Dunlin breeding in northern Alaska apparently move west, migrating down the eastern side of Siberia and Asia to Japan and China.

Description

• Size: 16-22 cm (6-9 in)
• Wingspan: 36-38 cm (14-15 in)
• Weight: 48-64 g (1.69-2.26 ounces)

Medium-sized sandpiper. Moderately short neck. Moderately long, drooping bill. Moderately long, blackish legs. Slightly hunched appearance. In breeding plumage has black belly, rufous cap, and rufous back. Nonbreeding plumage is all dull brownish gray, with whitish belly.

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, female slightly larger.

Immature

Juvenile has reddish back with more scaly edges to back feathers, and brownish black splotches on belly.

Similar Species

• Rare Curlew Sandpiper similar in nonbreeding plumage, but has white rump and slightly longer legs.
• Breeding plumaged Rock Sandpiper similar to breeding plumage of Dunlin, but has darker back, less solid dark patch higher up on the belly, has shorter, stouter bill, and yellowish legs.
• Nonbreeding Purple Sandpiper is darker, stouter, has short greenish yellow legs, and bicolored bill.

Sound

Call a raspy "krree."

Range

Range Map

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

About the map

Summer Range

Winters along coasts from southern Alaska and Massachusetts southward to Mexico. Also on coasts of Eurasia, and western Africa.

Winter Range

Winters along coasts from southern Alaska and Massachusetts southward to Mexico. Also on coasts of Eurasia, and western Africa.

Habitat

Breeds in wet coastal tundra. Winters along mudflats, estuaries, marshes, flooded fields, sandy beaches, and shores of lakes and ponds.

Reproduction

Clutch Size

Condition at Hatching

Active and covered with down.

Conservation Status

Abundant, but populations may be declining.

Other Names

Becasseau variable (French)
Correlimos común (Spanish)
Red-backed Sandpiper (English)

Sources used to construct this page:

Warnock, N. D., and R. E Gill. 1996. Dunlin (Calidris alpina). In The Birds of North America, No. 203 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, andThe American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.