# Dunlin (*Calidris alpina*) The Dunlin is a small shorebird with a long, curved beak. They love to run along the beach and look for tiny creatures to eat. Their feathers change color with the seasons, making them look different throughout the year! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Dunlin](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Calidris-alpina-001_edit.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mdf , edited by Fir0002, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calidris-alpina-001_edit.jpg) ## Appearance The Dunlin is a small shorebird with a slightly down-curved black bill. In summer, it has a reddish-brown back and a distinctive black belly patch. In winter, it becomes plainer, mostly grey-brown above and white below. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Dunlins can change their whole look, shedding old feathers for new ones twice a year! - During courtship, male Dunlins perform fancy aerial displays to attract a mate. - One Dunlin might travel over 10,000 kilometers each year just to migrate! - Their name might come from "dun," meaning brownish, and "ling," a small bird! ## Special abilities - **Super Sniffer Bill:** Dunlin can find hidden worms and crustaceans in the mud because their sensitive bills detect prey without seeing it. - **Synchronized Swirls:** Dunlin can fly in huge, swirling flocks called murmurations that help confuse predators and look amazing. - **Migration Marathon:** Dunlin has incredible stamina that helps them fly thousands of kilometers between their breeding and wintering grounds. - **Master of Disguise:** Dunlin can blend into its muddy or grassy surroundings because its mottled brown and grey feathers provide excellent camouflage. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-22 cm - **Wingspan:** 32-39 cm - **Weight:** 0.04-0.08 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 20-22 days - **Migration Distance:** 8000 km ## Diet & Feeding Dunlins love to eat tiny critters they find hidden in the mud and sand, like worms and small insects. - **Primary Foods:** marine worms, crustaceans, mollusks, insect larvae, spiders - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Fast falcons hunt Dunlins mid-flight. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Arctic foxes hunt Dunlin nests and chicks on the tundra. - **Hunts:** Ragworm (*Nereis virens*) — Dunlins probe mudflats to find and eat ragworms. - **Hunts:** Ocean Gammarus (*Gammarus oceanicus*) — Dunlins forage for tiny crustaceans like Gammarus in shallow water. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch or chase them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dunlin? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Dunlin? 16-22 cm ### What is Dunlin's wingspan? 32-39 cm ### How much does Dunlin weigh? 0.04-0.08 kg ### How long does Dunlin live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Dunlin move? 70 km/h ### What does Dunlin eat? Dunlins love to eat tiny critters they find hidden in the mud and sand, like worms and small insects. ### Where is Dunlin usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Pointe Mouillee State Game Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pointe-mouillee-state-game-area) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Zoo de la Palmyre](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-la-palmyre) — Nouvelle-Aquitaine, FR · Zoo - [Batona Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/batona-trail) — New Jersey, US · Trail - [Crowley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crowley-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District - [Howard Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/howard-avenue-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Jones Beach State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jones-beach-state-park) — New York, US · State Park [View all places to see Dunlin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dunlin) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Dunlin: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dunlin)