dunlin

American  

[duhn-lin] / ˈdʌn lɪn /

noun

1. a common sandpiper, Calidris alpina, that breeds in the northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

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dunlin British  

/ ˈdʌnlɪn /

noun

1. Also called: red-backed sandpiper. a small sandpiper, Calidris (or Erolia ) alpina, of northern and arctic regions, having a brown back and black breast in summer

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Etymology

Origin of dunlin

1525–35; variant of dunling. See dun ², -ling ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dunlin

"Species like dunlin, black-tailed godwit and redshank will travel all around the world to feed and roost in the land around the River Mersey," explained Charlotte Harris, chief executive of Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

The barges were filled and covered with sediment to create a new island for birds including endangered dunlin, curlew, ringed plover and lapwing.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

In spring, two dozen species of shorebirds use the refuge as a way station — primarily Western sandpipers and dunlin.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 10, 2024

Here I see Arctic tern from Antarctica, dunlin from Asia, bar-tailed godwits from Australia, yellow wagtails from Africa, and so on.

From New York Times ● Jun. 22, 2010

A cloud of tiny dunlin, more compact than starlings, turned in the air with the noise of a train.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White