Dunlin

A familiar small, long-billed wader of winter mudflats.

A recording has not been added yet. Use the identification notes below for now.

I know this bird · Record a sighting Where to look & how to find it ↓

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Season first

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: Most accessible in autumn and winter; also breeds locally
Where to start: Estuary paths and hides overlooking tidal flats; do not flush roosting flocks.
What to do when you arrive: In autumn and winter, scan small estuary waders and compare slightly downcurved bills. Winter birds lack the summer black belly patch; do not scatter the flock.

Habitat and behaviour reference: BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

SPECIES NOTESSpecies notes

How to identify it

Black legs and a slightly downcurved black bill. Breeding birds have a black belly patch and rusty back; winter birds are grey and white. Smaller and longer-billed than Knot.

Habitat

Estuaries, intertidal mud and sand, and coastal shallows.

Behaviour

Probes soft mud for worms and other invertebrates.

When to look

Most accessible in autumn and winter; also breeds locally

Where to look

Estuary paths and hides overlooking tidal flats; do not flush roosting flocks.

Reference photos do not show every sex, age, season or geographic form; use the identification notes too.

Further reading:BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · BTO · Knot and Dunlin ↗ · Wikipedia ↗

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