dunlin
(redirected from Calidris alpina)Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus.
Related to Calidris alpina: dunlins
dunlin
a small sandpiper, Calidris (or Erolia) alpina, of northern and arctic regions, having a brown back and black breast in summer
Dunlin
(Calidris alpina), also red-backed sandpiper, a bird of the family Charadriidae of the suborder Limicolae. The body length is about 20 cm. The upper parts are reddish brown, and underparts are dark. The dunlin is distributed in the tundras of Eurasia and North America, as well as along the shores of the Baltic and North seas. It is a migratory bird. Unmated birds roam the steppes of Western Siberia and Kazakhstan in the summer. The nests are on the ground. The clutch contains four eggs, which are incubated by both the male and female for 21 to 22 days. The diet consists of small invertebrates.