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Difference between revisions of "Dunlin" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:Dunlin summer adult, Svalbard.jpg|thumb|550px|right|''C. a. alpina'' summer adult. Bright; short-billed.<br />Photo by {{user|steinn|Steinn}}<br />Svalbard, [[Norway]], August 2012]]
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[[Image:Dunlin summer adult, Svalbard.jpg|thumb|550px|right|''C. a. alpina'' summer adult. Bright; short-billed.<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|steinn|Steinn}}<br />Svalbard, [[Norway]], August 2012]]
 
;[[:Category:Calidris|Calidris]] alpina
 
;[[:Category:Calidris|Calidris]] alpina
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 
Length 17–21 cm (6¾-8¼ in), wingspan 32–36 cm, weight 33–85 g<br />
 
Length 17–21 cm (6¾-8¼ in), wingspan 32–36 cm, weight 33–85 g<br />
 
Black bill, with de-curved tip; black legs.<br />
 
Black bill, with de-curved tip; black legs.<br />
[[Image:Dunlin winter, Texel.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult winter<br />Photo by {{user|Andy+Hall|Andy Hall}}<br />[[Texel]], [[Netherlands]], October 2016]]
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[[Image:Dunlin winter, Texel.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult winter<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Andy+Hall|Andy Hall}}<br />[[Texel]], [[Netherlands]], October 2016]]
 
'''Breeding'''
 
'''Breeding'''
 
*Crown and upperparts rufous, streaked darker
 
*Crown and upperparts rufous, streaked darker
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==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
[[Image:Dunlin.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|CJW|CJW}}<br />Smeale, [[Isle of Man]], July 2004]]
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[[Image:Dunlin.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|CJW|CJW}}<br />Smeale, [[Isle of Man]], July 2004]]
 
Most closely related to the [[Purple Sandpiper]] — [[Rock Sandpiper]] species pair, and after them, to [[Sanderling]]<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
 
Most closely related to the [[Purple Sandpiper]] — [[Rock Sandpiper]] species pair, and after them, to [[Sanderling]]<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
 
====Subspecies====
 
====Subspecies====
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<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Image:Dunlin schinzii  summer adult.jpg|''C. a. schinzii'' Summer adult. Dull; short-billed<br />Photo by {{user|Helios|Helios}}<br />North Uist, [[Scotland]], June 2014
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Image:Dunlin schinzii  summer adult.jpg|''C. a. schinzii'' Summer adult. Dull; short-billed<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Helios|Helios}}<br />North Uist, [[Scotland]], June 2014
Image:Dunlin hudsonia summer adult.jpg|''C. a. hudsonia'' Summer adult. Bright; long-billed<br />Photo by {{user|bobsofpa|bobsofpa}}<br />On spring passage, Bombay Hook NWR, [[Delaware]], [[USA]], May 2016
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Image:Dunlin hudsonia summer adult.jpg|''C. a. hudsonia'' Summer adult. Bright; long-billed<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|bobsofpa|bobsofpa}}<br />On spring passage, Bombay Hook NWR, [[Delaware]], [[USA]], May 2016
Image:1132 Dunlin 01q.jpg|''C. a. arcticola'' Summer adult. Bright; long-billed<br />Photo by {{user|peterday|peterday}}<br />St. Paul Island, The Pribilofs, [[Alaska]], July 2017
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Image:1132 Dunlin 01q.jpg|''C. a. arcticola'' Summer adult. Bright; long-billed<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|peterday|peterday}}<br />St. Paul Island, The Pribilofs, [[Alaska]], July 2017
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
[[Image:Dunlin 5392 .jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile in flight<br />Photo by {{user|mali|mali}}<br />[[Elmley Marshes]], [[Kent]], September 2016]]
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[[Image:Dunlin 5392 .jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile in flight<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|mali|mali}}<br />[[Elmley Marshes]], [[Kent]], September 2016]]
 
Breeds on low or high ground, in wet short-grass or tundra habitats; on migration (in autumn, adults in late July-August, juveniles in late August-October), found in a variety of marshy or coastal habitats, but most numerous on tidal flats or on banks of seaweed on shallow shores.
 
Breeds on low or high ground, in wet short-grass or tundra habitats; on migration (in autumn, adults in late July-August, juveniles in late August-October), found in a variety of marshy or coastal habitats, but most numerous on tidal flats or on banks of seaweed on shallow shores.
  

Revision as of 17:51, 23 August 2019

C. a. alpina summer adult. Bright; short-billed.
Photo © by Steinn
Svalbard, Norway, August 2012
Calidris alpina

Identification

Length 17–21 cm (6¾-8¼ in), wingspan 32–36 cm, weight 33–85 g
Black bill, with de-curved tip; black legs.

Adult winter
Photo © by Andy Hall
Texel, Netherlands, October 2016

Breeding

  • Crown and upperparts rufous, streaked darker
  • Wings: greyish brown, with pale bar and dark tips
  • White sides to rump and tail
  • White breast with darker streaks
  • Black belly
  • White undertail coverts

Non-breeding

  • Rufous areas become grey and belly all white

Juvenile

  • Similar to summer adult above but fringes less rufous; underparts pale buff breast grading to white belly with blackish streaks on breast and flanks

Distribution

Breeding birds from northern Europe and Asia winter in western and southern Europe, Africa, and southern Asia. Those that breed in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic move down to the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America.

Taxonomy

Juvenile
Photo © by CJW
Smeale, Isle of Man, July 2004

Most closely related to the Purple SandpiperRock Sandpiper species pair, and after them, to Sanderling[1].

Subspecies

Depending on authority, nine[2] or ten[3] subspecies are accepted:

  • C. a. arctica:
  • C. a. schinzii:
  • C. a. alpina:
  • C. a. centralis:
  • North central to northeastern Russia; winters India (included in C. a. alpina by some authorities[2])
  • C. a. sakhalina:
  • C. a. kistchinskii:
  • Sea of Okhotsk to Kuril Islands; wintering grounds unknown
  • C. a. actites:
  • Northern Sakhalin; wintering grounds unknown
  • C. a. arcticola:
  • C. a. pacifica:
  • C. a. hudsonia:

The subspecies are distinguishable by bill length, and intensity of colour of the summer plumage. Winter and juvenile plumage birds are often not reliably distinguishable to subspecies, with only bill length differing.

Habitat

Juvenile in flight
Photo © by mali
Elmley Marshes, Kent, September 2016

Breeds on low or high ground, in wet short-grass or tundra habitats; on migration (in autumn, adults in late July-August, juveniles in late August-October), found in a variety of marshy or coastal habitats, but most numerous on tidal flats or on banks of seaweed on shallow shores.

Coastal mudflats and beaches.

Behaviour

They form huge winter flocks, mainly on tidal mudflats (less often in freshwater), often mixing with Ringed Plover, Red Knot, and other Calidris species.

Diet

The diet includes insects, snails and worms.

Breeding

They nest in a shallow scrape on the ground lined with vegetation. The 4 eggs are incubated by both adults. The male cares for the young.

Vocalisation

Song: a trill.
Flight Call: treep or chreet <flashmp3>Calidris alpina (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Gibson, R., & Baker, A. (2012). Multiple gene sequences resolve phylogenetic relationships in the shorebird suborder Scolopaci (Aves: Charadriiformes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 64: 66-72.
  2. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  3. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2017. IOC World Bird Names (version 7.1). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
  4. Avibase
  5. Wikipedia
  6. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
  7. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

Recommended Citation

External Links


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