Dunlin (Calidris alpina) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Dunlin are small shorebirds that gather by the thousands on U.S. coasts when falling tides uncover mud. Their long, slightly drooping bills and, in breeding plumage, black belly patches make them stand out from smaller sandpipers.

Appearance

Appearance: Adults are 6.3–8.7 in (16–22 cm) long with dark legs and a bill that curves downward near the tip. Breeding birds show rusty backs and a bold black belly patch; winter birds are mostly gray-brown above.

Look-alikes

Western SandpiperCalidris mauri

The Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) is smaller. A Dunlin has a bulkier body and a longer bill that droops near the tip.

Why they get mixed upBoth can join flocks on coastal mudflats.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Coastal mudflats
Estuaries
Shallow wetlands
Range: They breed in Alaska and winter along the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts. During migration, they also stop at muddy inland wetlands.
Seasonal presence: They are migratory shorebirds.

Behavior

Diet: They pick and probe for small near the surface of mud or sand.
Social life: Outside the breeding season, they often feed and fly in large flocks.

Life cycle

Nest: In Alaska, they nest on wet tundra, placing the nest among low plants.
Clutch size: 3–4 eggs

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NTNear ThreatenedCould become threatened before long

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