Scientific Name

Calidris alpina

Breeding Range

Arctic and subarctic regions, including Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska, and Canada.

Migration

Short-distance migrants in western Europe, and long-distance migrants from northern Europe and Asia to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Plumage

Breeding: Black belly spot and orange back feathers.

Winter: White with gray back and head.

Diet

Insects during breeding, mollusks, worms, and crustaceans during winter and migration.

Habitat

Coastal tundra during breeding; mudflats, estuaries, and coastlines during winter.

Subspecies

10 subspecies, including C. a. schinzii (southern Europe), C. a. arctica (Greenland), and C. a. pacifica (Alaska).

Breeding Behavior

Shallow ground nests with 4 eggs; chicks are precocial and primarily cared for by the male.

Conservation Status

IUCN: Least Concern, but some subspecies (e.g., C. a. schinzii) are endangered due to population declines.

Threats

Habitat fragmentation, climate change, and invasive plants.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Dunlin, recently in the news, is related to which of the following?

(a) A species of migratory bird

(b) A river conservation project in India

(c) A new climate change agreement

(d) A marine biodiversity conservation initiative

Answer: a

Explanation:

The dunlin (Calidris alpina) is a small wader in the genus Calidris. The English name is a dialect form of "dunling", first recorded in 1531–1532. It derives from dun, "dull brown", with the suffix -ling, meaning a person or thing with the given quality.

It is a circumpolar breeder in Arctic or subarctic regions. Birds that breed in western Europe are short-distance migrants largely staying on western and southern European and northwest African coasts; those breeding in far northern Europe and Asia are long-distance migrants, wintering south to Africa, southeast Asia and the Middle East.