Dunlin

Calidris alpina

Small, plump shorebird with droopy bill. Breeding plumage is distinctive with rufous or brown back and black belly. In fall and winter, plain grayish-brown above with white belly. Often in large flocks on mudflats and beaches, sometimes mixing with other shorebirds. Breeds on Arctic tundra; winters on coastlines throughout the Northern Hemisphere; typically less common inland. A late migrant, especially in fall; lingers longer at higher latitudes than most other small shorebirds. Very similar to Curlew Sandpiper in nonbreeding plumage, but Dunlin is more compact, shorter-winged and shorter-legged, and darker. Droopy bill might recall Western Sandpiper, but Dunlin is larger and darker. Also compare with Purple Sandpiper, which is even darker and more spotted and has orange legs. Listen for loud, slightly buzzy “dzeer!” calls.

Identification

Measurements:An adult dunlin in breeding plumage shows the distinctive black belly which no other similar-sized wader possesses. The winter dunlin is basically grey above and white below. Juveniles are brown above with two whitish "V" shapes on the back. They usually have black marks on the flanks or belly and show a strong white wingbar in flight. The legs and slightly decurved bill are black. There are a number of subspecies differing mainly in the extent of rufous colouration in the breeding plumage and the bill length. Bill length varies between sexes, the females having longer bills than the males. On the tip of the Dunlin's bill is a soft covering that fills with blood and with many nerve endings, forming a sensitive probe that is used to locate invertebrate prey in mud and sand. Although the bill can look sharp-pointed in dead specimens, in life it is blunt.The call is a typical sandpiper "peep", and the display song a harsh trill.

Taxonomy

The dunlin was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Tringa alpina. Linnaeus specified the location as Lapland. This species was formerly placed in the genus Erolia, but is now placed with 23 other sandpipers in the genus Calidris that was introduced in 1804 by the German naturalist Blasius Merrem. The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific alpina is from Latin and means "of high mountains", in this case referring to the Alps.Ten subspecies are recognised:

Scientific name: Calidris alpina
Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Calidris

Range and habitat

Dunlin are small migratory waders, however they show strong philopatry with individuals of the Southern Dunlin (Calidris alpina schinzii) in Sweden and Finland returning to, or very close to, their natal patches. Habitat fragmentation has reduced the availability of habitat patches to these birds through reducing patch size and increasing patch isolation. This reduced connectivity between patches has reduced the movements of Dunlin leaving them more susceptible to inbreeding in these locations.

Breeding range: NA, PAL : low (locally high) Arctic to temperate wet tundra of Holarctic: sw to ne Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., n British Is., Scandinavia, Baltic states e through n Russia including Novaya Zemlya (n of nw Siberia) and New Siberian Is. (n of ec Russia), through Chukotskiy Pen., w Kamchatka, n Kurile and n Sakhalin is. (e Russia); Aleutian Is., w, n Alaska, nw Canada, nc Canada n and w of Hudson Bay
Non-breeding range: s NA, AF, s PAL : coastal and inland wetlands from temperate to tropical zones n of Equator: British Is., w Europe, Mediterranean, n, nc Africa, Middle East, n Indian subcontinent to n Vietnam and e China, Taiwan, Korean Pen. and Japan (except n); sw Canada and New England to wc Mexico and Yucatan Pen.
Migration: Complete migrants

Behavior

The dunlin is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches. Large numbers can often be seen swirling in synchronized flight on stop-overs during migration or on their winter habitat.This bird is one of the most common waders throughout its breeding and wintering ranges, and it is the species with which other waders tend to be compared. At 17–21 cm (6.7–8.3 in) length and with a 32–36 cm (13–14 in) wingspan, it is similar in size to a common starling, but stouter, with a thicker bill.The dunlin moves along the coastal mudflat beaches it prefers with a characteristic "sewing machine" feeding action, methodically picking small food items. Insects form the main part of the dunlin's diet on the nesting grounds; it eats molluscs, worms and crustaceans in coastal areas.The nest is a shallow scrape on the ground lined with vegetation, into which typically four eggs are laid and incubated by the male and female parents. Chicks are precocial, but are brooded during early development. They start to fly at approximately three weeks of age. The majority of brood care is provided by the male, as the female deserts the brood and often leaves the breeding area.Apparent 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, respectively.

Conservation

Population trend: declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

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Inconspicuous and uncommon woodpecker of coniferous forests, particularly spruces, often at high elevations (especially in the Rockies). Prefers recently burned areas or bogs with many dead trees. Distinctive habit of flaking bark off trees in search of grubs; behavior shared only by Black-backed Woodpecker. Generally dark with barred flanks and subtle white spots on wings and back. Face is black with white stripes above and below the eye and white speckles on the forehead. Eastern birds darker than western birds. Males show yellow patch on crown; sexes otherwise alike. Most similar to Black-backed Woodpecker but American Three-toed always shows some white on back and more white on head. Listen for soft, hollow "pweek" call and slow drumming that fades at the end.

Chapman's Antshrike

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Attractive antbird restricted to arid Andean slopes in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Male is gray and white with a barred breast, back, and tail, streaked face and throat, black crest, and buffy belly. Female is brown and buff with a darker crest, black-and-white streaked face, and very faint barring on the breast. No overlap with the similar Barred Antshrike. Inhabits dry forest and scrub. Jaunty song starts with a fast series of clucks and ends with a few higher-pitched notes followed by lower-pitched notes.

Scaly-breasted Wren

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Dark, short-tailed wren, quite shy and difficult to see. Overall brown with paler grayish throat and rather long, straight bill. Some populations have more scaling on breast than others. Found on the ground inside forest, where it makes an interesting song. Listen for a series of whistled notes, starting off high-pitched with a few in rapid succession, then each note dropping in pitch and spaced further and further apart. The whole series can last for minutes. Far more often heard than seen.

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