Sandpipers, Phalaropes

Dunlin, Calidris alpina

Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers, Phalaropes)

Size: 8.5"

Season: Fall–spring

Habitat: Coastal beaches, mudflats

This bird’s name comes from the word “dun,” a dull, gray-brown color, which aptly describes the winter plumage of the dunlin. It is a rather small sandpiper with a long bill that droops down at the tip. In breeding plumage there is a black belly patch and rufous tones on the back. In flight a white stripe on the upper wing and a white rump separated by a central dark line can be seen. It forms huge flocks, swirling and circling in unison. The dunlin walks steadily through shallow waters to feed, probing for crustaceans and other invertebrates. The nonbreeding adult (top) and breeding adult (bottom) are illustrated.