-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Dunlin or Curlew Sandpiper (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Sphenodon
- Start date
chris butterworth
aka The Person Named Above
Dunlin.
Chris
Chris
Cheshire Birder
Well-known member
Agreed. Dunllin.
CB
CB
Dave Williams
Well-known member
The Curlew Sandpiper has a longer , more curved bill and stands a bit taller. In winter plumage they are similar in colour but when you see one fairly close up the difference to a Dunlin becomes more apparent.
A bit like the difference with a Curlew and Whimbrel, once you have seen them in the flesh the difference is quite marked but looking at field guides not quite as much so.
A bit like the difference with a Curlew and Whimbrel, once you have seen them in the flesh the difference is quite marked but looking at field guides not quite as much so.
John Cantelo
Well-known member
To enlarge a little on Dave's excellent summary ....
Curlew Sandpipers indeed have a longer bill which is more evenly curved (Dunlin's is less even esp towards the tip), but beware comparing long billed races of Dunlin with shorter billed varieties. The cat walk legginess of Curlew Sand also means they often feed in deeper water. Curlew Sands also have a longer slimmer neck which, with the longer legs and greater length of wings (projecting well beyond the tail), icreased the 'cat walk' model jizz. It also helps to know that Curlew Sandpipers winter south of the Sahara so are very unlikely in the UK in winter.
