Dunlin

Lore & Background

The dunlin was formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 under the name Tringa alpina, with the type locality given as Lapland. The English name derives from 'dunling', first recorded in 1531–1532, combining 'dun' (dull brown) with the suffix '-ling'. The genus name Calidris comes from Ancient Greek, used by Aristotle for grey waterside birds, while the specific epithet alpina refers to alpine tundra habitats generally, not the Alps specifically.

Ten subspecies are recognized, differing mainly in breeding plumage, bill length, and range. These include C. a. arctica from northeast Greenland, C. a. schinzii from Iceland and the British Isles, and C. a. alpina from northern Scandinavia and northwest Siberia. The subspecies vary in the extent of rufous plumage and the size of the black belly patch, with bill length also differing between sexes—females having longer bills than males.

The dunlin's bill tip has a soft covering filled with blood and nerve endings, forming a sensitive probe for locating invertebrate prey in mud and sand. Its call is a typical sandpiper 'chreep', and the display song is a harsh trill.

Reader's Guide

The dunlin is one of the most common waders throughout its breeding and wintering ranges, often serving as a benchmark for comparing other wader species. It is highly gregarious in winter, forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches, and is known for synchronized swirling flight displays during migration. The species shows strong philopatry, particularly in the southern subspecies C. a. schinzii, which returns to natal patches in Sweden and Finland, though habitat fragmentation has reduced connectivity and increased inbreeding risks.

Its conservation status is 'Near Threatened' according to the IUCN, with the population decreasing but still very large. The southern subspecies C. a. schinzii is of particular concern, declining and endangered in some areas—in Denmark, only 95 pairs remained in 2021, down from 50,000 pairs a century earlier. The northeast Greenland subspecies C. a. arctica is also endangered with a very small population. The dunlin is covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). Apparent hybrids with the white-rumped sandpiper and purple sandpiper have been reported from the Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe, respectively.

Did You Know?

• The English name 'dunlin' is a dialect form of 'dunling', first recorded in 1531–1532, from 'dun' (dull brown) and '-ling' (person or thing with that quality).
• The dunlin's bill tip has a soft covering filled with blood and nerve endings, forming a sensitive probe for locating invertebrate prey in mud and sand.
• Ten subspecies are recognized, differing mainly in breeding plumage and bill length; females have longer bills than males.
• In Denmark, only 95 pairs of the southern subspecies C. a. schinzii remained in 2021, compared to 50,000 pairs a century earlier.