Dunlin

The dunlin is a small wading bird, visiting Ireland during the summer from Africa and Europe and during the winter from Scandinavia and Siberia. In the winter the dunlin is basically grey above and white below. Breeding plumage consists of a distinctive black belly. The legs and bill are black. The dunlin nests in a shallow hole in the ground, lined with vegetation. Four eggs are typically laid at a time.

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During the winter the dunlin forms large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches. It feeds mostly on insects but also eats molluscs, worms and crustaceans.

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It is amber-listed in Ireland because the majority of dunlins winter at less than ten sites.

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Image (c) by Sharp Photography used under Creative Commons License BY-SA 4.0.