Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Daria Semenova · Poti, Samegrelo Georgia field photo
Key facts in one look
- Size
- 16–20 cm, wingspan 38–43 cm; 34–77 g
- Diet
- Insects, molluscs, worms, crustaceans
- Status in Georgia
- Migrant
- Recorded regions
- Adjara; Abkhazia; Kvemo Kartli; Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti; Guria; Shida Kartli
- Habitat
- Muddy and sandy shores, lakes, lagoons
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Conservation
- Global NT (2024); Georgia LC (2024)
The dunlin is one of the most common waders, and other sandpipers are often compared with it for size. It is 16–20 cm long, with a wingspan of 38–43 cm, and weighs 34–77 g. The bill and legs are black, and the bill droops slightly at the tip. In breeding plumage it has a black belly, which no other wader of its size has. In winter it is grey-brown above and white below. It is harmless to people. If on a muddy shore you see a flock of small sandpipers rapidly jabbing their bills into the mud like sewing machines, they are most likely dunlins. The 2024 Georgian checklist lists it as a migrant. In Georgia it is seen mainly in April and from August to October, most often in September. Most records come from Adjara, followed by Abkhazia, Kvemo Kartli, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Guria and Shida Kartli. Globally it is rated Near Threatened (NT), and in Georgia Least Concern (LC).
Identification
Dunlin: how to identify it
In summer it is easy to recognise by its black belly and reddish-brown back. In winter it is grey-brown above and white below. The bill is black, fairly long and slightly drooping at the tip, and the legs are black. In flight it shows a narrow white wingbar.
It is 16–20 cm long, with a wingspan of 38–43 cm, and weighs 34–77 g. It is the size of a starling, but stouter, with a long, thick bill. Females have longer bills than males. The bill tip is soft and full of nerve endings, which let it sense food hidden in mud and sand.
In breeding plumage it has a large black patch on the belly and a reddish-brown back. In winter it is grey-brown above and white below. Juveniles are brown above with two weak whitish "V" shapes on the back, and usually have black marks on the flanks or belly.
The broad-billed sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus) has a similar bill, but the dunlin has a single, faint eyebrow. The curlew sandpiper has a longer bill curved along its whole length, and a white rump. The call is a typical sandpiper "chreep", and on the breeding grounds it gives a harsh trill.
Colour
Swatches are illustrative. Do not identify a species by colour alone.
It breeds on boggy Arctic and subarctic tundra with surface water, as well as on wet coastal grasslands, salt marshes and wet upland moorland. Outside the breeding season it is seen mainly on estuarine mudflats, but it also uses a wide range of fresh and brackish waters: lagoons, muddy lake shores, flooded fields, salt-works, sandy coasts, lakes and reservoirs. In Georgia most records come from Adjara: from Batumi and the Chorokhi Delta, mainly in September. In Abkhazia it is seen near Gagra and Pitsunda, at Lake Inkit and near Gulripshi. In Kvemo Kartli it has been seen at Kumisi Lake, Jandari Lake and in Gardabani Municipality, especially in April–May and September. In Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Guria the records come mainly from the coast south of Poti, at Maltakva and Grigoleti, and from Lanchkhuti and Ozurgeti municipalities. In Shida Kartli it is seen at Nadarbazevi Lake in April and in August–October. There is one record from Kakheti, in Dedoplistskaro Municipality.
The dunlin map combines public iNaturalist observations. Regions are taken from the records-by-region table, and the status column separates regions with enough records from regions with too few records. Record counts reflect observation effort rather than population density. Six regions have enough records: Adjara, Abkhazia, Kvemo Kartli, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Guria and Shida Kartli.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Photo record
- Region with records
When breeding it eats mainly insects, especially flies and their larvae. On the coast and on migration it eats molluscs, snails, worms and small crustaceans. On a muddy shore it walks methodically and jabs its bill rapidly into the mud like a sewing machine, and it also picks small food items from the surface.
It is fully migratory, though different populations migrate in different ways: some move short distances along the coast, others fly non-stop overland. It is highly gregarious: on migration it moves in flocks of up to 1,500 birds, and in winter hundreds of thousands gather together. Large flocks swirl through the air in synchronised flight. It is active by day and by night. The longest known lifespan is 24 years. It nests dispersed or in loose colonies. The nest is a shallow scrape in the ground, lined with vegetation. The female usually lays 4 eggs, and both parents incubate. The chicks walk soon after hatching, but the parents brood them in the first days. They start to fly at about 3 weeks. The male does most of the chick care: the female often leaves the family and the breeding area early.
Globally the dunlin is rated Near Threatened (NT, 2024). There are 3–7 million mature birds, but over the last three generations the number has probably fallen by 20–29%. It is threatened by the degradation and loss of its stopover and wintering sites, and climate change may be reducing its breeding success. Some populations are declining especially fast: in Denmark only 95 pairs were left in 2021, while a century earlier 50,000 pairs bred there. The 2024 Georgian checklist rates it Least Concern (LC) in Georgia.
Related guides
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Yes. The 2024 Georgian checklist lists it as a migrant. It is seen mainly in April and from August to October, most often in September. It breeds in the Arctic and spends the winter further south.
On the Black Sea coast: near Batumi and in the Chorokhi Delta, south of Poti on the Maltakva–Grigoleti coast, and in Abkhazia, near Gagra and Lake Inkit. Inland, especially in April, it is seen at Kumisi, Jandari and Nadarbazevi lakes. Look for it on muddy and sandy shores.
In summer by its black belly and reddish-brown back. In winter it is grey-brown above and white below. The bill is black and droops slightly at the tip, and the legs are black. In flight it shows a narrow white wingbar.
It is 16–20 cm long, with a wingspan of 38–43 cm, and weighs 34–77 g. It is the size of a starling, but stouter and longer-billed.
When breeding, mainly insects, especially flies. On the coast and on migration, molluscs, worms and small crustaceans. It jabs its bill rapidly and many times into the mud.
It is harmless to people. Globally it is rated Near Threatened (NT, 2024), because its number has fallen in recent years. In Georgia it is rated Least Concern (LC). If you find an injured bird, call 112 or the environmental protection service.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
