Dunlin

Dunlin is the most common of European waders, such that it is used as a reference for the identification of other small waders and especially sandpipers. Its silhouette and behavior can help its identification. It is fairly short-legged and moves its body horizontally with a slightly hunched back. At rest, it stands up, but with a very short and slightly cramped neck. The species has nine subspecies that have very noticeable plumage differences. We will focus here on the alpina subspecies, the most European.
The breeding adult is identifiable at first sight by its tricolor plumage. The upper parts appear very reddish from a distance, as does the cap. When viewed up close in detail, one can see that, in addition to the dominant red, they also show black and white. Each feather is reddish, with a black center and white at the end. The underparts are black and white. A wide black area covers the lower chest and upper belly while the white covers the throat, the upper chest, the flanks, the lower belly and the under-tail coverts. The white throat and upper chest are speckled / streaked with grayish-black. If necessary, its beak would confirm the species. Black beak always slightly longer than the head and more or less curved downwards. The legs, fairly short, are black. Sexual dimorphism is slight. The plumage is slightly less clearly colored in the female and its beak is slightly longer.
The inter-breeding adult is so different in appearance that one could doubt that it is a bird of the same species. Black and red have completely disappeared. On the other hand, white has invaded all the underparts.The upper part is a grey that appears uniform from afar. Up close, one can see that the feathers have a darker line along the spine. The cap is dark. The breast is more or less streaked in brownish tones. It could be confused with a Dunlin Wintering Shorebird which also has a long and curved bill and upper parts of a similar appearance. However, in winter, the two species do not coexist, the shorebird then being in Africa south of the Sahara.
The juvenile is closer in appearance to the adult in summer. Like the adult, it has a reddish tinged plumage. However, it is quite easily distinguished by its new plumage and the appearance of the upper and lower parts. The upper coverts are blackish brown and bordered by white or red, giving the whole a dark and scaly aspect. The wing covers are clearly fringed with light beige. The lower parts are a bit turbulent. Indeed, blackish spots on the lower sides and sides of the abdomen evoke the black plate of the adult and can lead to errors about age. You might think you were dealing with a transitional plumage adult but the upper parts bring us back to reality. Furthermore, the chest is very streaked with blackish brown. But this plumage is practically only visible on the breeding grounds as it starts to give way to the 1st winter plumage before departing on migration. In the migratory stops in September-October, juveniles are recognized by their juvenile plumage on top and the blackish spots on the flanks that persist. The bird with the complete first winter plumage resembles the wintering adult, but its wing covers and secondary remiges are clearly fringed with light beige, which breaks the uniformity of the top.