Dunlin
Habitat and behaviour
Habitat: Estuaries; uplands (summer).
Diet: Invertebrates.
Best time to spot: UK's commonest small wader.
When to look
Resident in the UK, so it can be found year-round. Numbers peak in May. See the May birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.
Recent UK sightings
No community sightings logged for this species yet. Log the first one.
Similar birds
- Curlew SandpiperRare · Estuaries (autumn passage)
- Little StintRare · Estuaries (autumn passage)
- Red KnotUncommon · Estuaries (winter spectacles)
- Broad-billed Sandpiper · Pools (very rare passage)
- Pectoral Sandpiper · Wet meadows (autumn passage)
- Red-necked Stint · Pools (very rare)
Kit that helps
Best spotting scopes for UK birding. Affiliate links, tested picks, no extra cost to you.
See Dunlin sightings on the map