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Glite Dictionary
dunlin

dunlin

1 9.9
A small shore bird with a long slightly curved bill and a dark belly patch in summer
  • noun
  • /ˈdʌn.lɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : dunlin
  • The dunlin is easily recognized by its small size and distinctive black belly patch during breeding season.
  • dunlin and sandpipers
  • dunlin and plovers

Examples

  • Her father had taught her some of their names: eiders, dunlins, longspurs, phalaropes, golden plovers.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Distant flock of shorebirds (likely more Dunlin).

    Blog text (34)

  • Before long, they were right overhead, and I could clearly see that these 30-40 birds were shorebirds, Dunlin, in fact.

    Blog text (34)

  • For the next hour or so, several flocks of presumed Dunlin passed overhead or along the major ridge.

    Blog text (34)

  • Flock of Dunlin

    Blog text (34)

  • A fling of dunlins

    Blog text (7)

  • As a result of this distance, "shorebird sp." is the best identification I could make of these distant specks, although it is very likely that these were more Dunlin.

    Blog text (34)

  • While walking along the beach, I spotted a group of dunlin foraging for food in the wet sand.

  • During migration, dunlin can often be seen flying in large flocks along the coastline.

Synonyms

red-backed sandpiper
vsdunlin
9.4

A small wading bird with a red back that breeds in the Arctic and flies south in winter

is the common everyday name rather than the scientific label
Erolia alpina
vsdunlin
  • Specialized
9.9

A small sandpiper that breeds in Arctic regions and winters on warmer coasts

notes a black belly patch in breeding plumage as the identifying feature

Surface Forms

dunlin singular
dunlins plural

Morphology

dunlin = dun (semi-transparent) = dun + lin

Formed from 'dun' (a colour) plus a diminutive suffix '-lin' (variant of '-ling'); the species name is specialized and the diminutive suffix is archaic/rare, so the link to a 'small dun-coloured bird' is only partially predictable for learners.

Etymology

The word dunlin comes from old Scots or northern English: dun meaning 'brown' and the little ending -ling meaning 'small one'. Think of it like duckling but with 'dun' for colour, so it literally means a 'small brown one', which fits this small wading bird.