|
|
Dunlin
Photos by Bruce
Dayton
|
|
ORDER:
Charadriiformes
FAMILY:
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers - 47 Species)
SPECIES:
Dunlin
(Calidris alpina)
CLICK - on any silver bar to
return to top of page
|
Dunlin |
|
|
The Dunlin is a familiar shorebird around the world. The Dunlin was originally called a "Dunling", which means "a small brown bird". |
|
|
SIZE |
The Dunlin is a small (7-9 ") wading bird of the Sandpiper family. |
| DESCRIPTION | The adult
Dunlin (breeding plumage) has
a bright rich red-brown back and crown, whitish underparts with a
distinctive black belly patch and a slightly down-curved bill. It has a
white wing patch with black legs and feet.
Adult (basic plumage) is similar, but has gray-brown upperparts, pale gray-white underparts with grayish breast with streaking. Sexes are similar in appearance. |
| NESTING | Clutch size ranges from 2-6 eggs, which are incubated in 20 to 24 days. The nest is a shallow scrape on the ground lined with vegetation, The eggs are incubated by both parents. |
| RANGE | Birds that breed in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic migrate short distances to the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America. Birds that breed in northern Europe and Asia are long-distance migrants, wintering south in Africa and southeast Asia. |
| HABITAT | They habitat beaches, mudflats, inland lake and river shores. |
| DIET | They diet on insects, amphipods, insect larvae, snails and worms. |
|
|
| Dunlin | |
| Montezuma
National Wildlife Refuge Seneca County, New York |
|
 |
 |
| Dnln_144T_035629 | Dnln_144T_035659 |
 |
 |
| Dnln_144T_035817 | Dnln_144T_035822 |
|
|
|
Baltimore Oriole Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes |
 |
|
|
| INTERESTING FACTS |
| Ornithology |
| The word Ornithology comes from the Greek words ornis = bird and logos = word/science). It is the branch of zoology concerned with the scientific study of birds. It covers virtually all studies concerned with birds. |
Return to
Birds
of North America
For Fine Art Scenic Prints
Visit FingerLakesFalls.com
|
Please email with any ideas or comments concerning this web page. |
| The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2008 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit. |
NOTE: This site will be updated as time and pictures become available.
Visit Mammals of North America
Dunlin
(Calidris alpina
)
Updated 11-17-2008
