Key information
The commonest small wader found along the coast. It has a slightly down-curved bill and a distinctive black belly patch in breeding plumage. It feeds in flocks in winter, sometimes numbering thousands, roosting on nearby fields, saltmarshes and shore when the tide is high.
What they eat:
Insects, snails and worms.
Measurements:
- Length:
- 16-20cm
- Wingspan:
- 35-40cm
- Weight:
- 40-50g
Population:
- UK breeding:
- 9,600 pairs
- UK wintering:
- 350,000 birds
Identifying features:
This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.
Dunlin (summer plumage)
Dunlin (winter plumage)
