The Dunlin a very tame bird and easy to approach and study. It is a medium sized shorebird that stands about seven to eight inches tall as an adult. It has a long, slender, dark bill, black legs, a black patch on its behind continuing onto its tail. Their wings have an ivory bar and both sexes have similar markings. The head of the Dunlin is ivory colored with a black stomach.
The young Dunlin has markings similar to the adults. During the summer months the back and crown of the Dunlin are mainly colored cinnamon with black stripes. Their, neck and face are colored gray, streaked with ivory markings. Their throat is white and they have a sizeable black area on their stomach.
In the fall months the Dunlin has a soft uniform gray on their upper body and across their chest. The rest of the bird in autumn remains white with a light eyebrow marking. Frequently some adult Dunlins keep a few red feathers of summer on their back.
The Dunlin nests on the tundra in a grass thicket on a dry mound. Also it spends its winters on the shoreline, sand flats, and lake and river shores in the inner part of the land. The Dunlin breeds in the uplands of Scotland, Wales and England. Greatest numbers found on the Western and Northern Isles and the Flow Country of Sutherland in Scotland.
The Dunlin is seen on all estuaries of the United Kingdom with largest numbers in winter. Also it breeds from western and northern Alaska east to Hudson Bay. Also bird watchers see the Dunlin in California, New England, Florida the Pacific Northwest, the Mid Atlantic states and the Southeastern North America.
After mating the female Dunlin lays four olive eggs, blotched with brown. Incubation of the eggs lasts about three weeks. The young birds begin to fledge in about three weeks and they normally have only one brood each year.
The Dunlin is seen on all estuaries of the United Kingdom with the largest numbers in winter. The Dunlin spends it winters along the sea shore from southern Alaska and Massachusetts south into Florida. Also the Dunlin winters in Eurasia.
The Fraser River Delta in suburban Vancouver supports the most northerly large wintering population of Pacific Dunlin. These shorebirds in Canada are the largest concentration of shorebirds that spend their winter there. Also the Dunlin spends the winter months in Alaska and Massachusetts on the shoreline of these states. It is generally seen in small flocks of occasionally 100 birds or more.
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