Dunlin

Calidris alpina

A drooping-billed sandpiper with a black belly patch in summer that flies in swirling flocks up to 55 mph.

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About the Dunlin

Dunlins are 6 to 9 inches long, about the size of a starling but with longer legs. In summer they have orange backs and a big black belly patch that no other shorebird has. They breed on coastal tundra in the Arctic and subarctic and spend winter on mudflats, estuaries and marshes along U.S. and Mexican coasts. They probe the mud for insects, snails, worms and crustaceans.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Calidris alpina^[1]
Size: 6 to 9 inches long; 13- to 16-inch wingspan.^[1]
Lifespan: The oldest known wild dunlin was 24.^[1]
Diet: Insects, snails, worms and crustaceans.^[1]
Habitat: Coastal tundra for nesting; mudflats, estuaries, marshes and coastlines in winter.^[1]
Where it lives: Breeds in the Arctic and subarctic; winters along U.S. and Mexican coasts.^[1]
Group life: Large flocks in migration; not social when nesting.^[1]
Babies: 4 eggs, incubated by both parents.^[1]
Conservation status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2024).^[2]

Fun facts

Dunlin flocks can fly 45 to 55 miles per hour.^[1]
In 1531 dunlins were called 'dunling,' meaning 'little brown one.'^[1]
Dunlins often sleep with their bills tucked under a wing.^[1]

Vocabulary

estuary: Where a river meets the sea and fresh and salt water mix.
tundra: A cold, treeless plain in the far north.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
flock: A group of birds that travel or feed together.
near threatened: A conservation label meaning a species may soon be at risk of dying out if things don't improve.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Dunlin.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/dunlin (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Calidris alpina (Dunlin).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22693427/255846610 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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