Dunlin - description, habitat, interesting facts

The content of the article

1 Appearance
2 What does a Dunlin eat?
3 How does reproduction occur?
4 Where do dunnies live?
5 Interesting about Dunlin
6 Video: Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Dunlin - small birds whose weight reaches a maximum of 60 grams. These birds belong to the order charadriiformes and the family of snipe. Today we will take a closer look at this species of birds and learn interesting facts about them.

Appearance

Dunlin is considered quite small bird. It is even smaller than the starling, its length is only 20 centimeters. It is possible to determine what is before you a Dunlin by the specific singing that this species of birds emit during the period of nest arrangement and breeding.

On the head of these birds, one can notice a prominent long beak of black color, slightly uneven. The bird's paws are as black as the beak and as long and thin. Dunlin has a slightly elongated oval body. Their eyes are usually black in color, on the bright plumage of the head they are especially noticeable. In general, their plumage is quite variegated.The basis is gray, which is complemented by white stripes and black specks.

The appearance of males and females is no different. You can distinguish them only in size, the males are slightly larger than the female half.

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What does a Dunlin eat?

Dunlin can easily eat both plant food and animal food. His diet rather depends on what type of food prevails in the area where he is, as well as on the time of year. Most of all Dunlin love all the same animal products. For example, they are happy to eat shellfish, worms, snails, beetles, shells, dragonflies, and larvae. The menu can also include crustaceans, as well as other animals living in water bodies.

From plant foods, Dunlin prefers to eat algae, a variety of seeds, as well as pagans and rhizomes of various plants.

How does reproduction occur?

Dunlin - monogamous birds. They become fully prepared for reproduction at the age of one year. They form their pairs once and for all life. A partner can change only if the previous one for some reason dies.The mating season, when males are only looking for females, and when pairing occurs, both partners are very excited and active. This is especially true of males who can fly around the female all day long and sing for her. It is worth noting that not all birds can form a pair and start creating a nest, some individuals are left alone.

Very interesting Dunnies create nests. As a rule, they find a place that is located on a hill. After that, the male beaks a small burrow right in the ground, which later becomes covered with leaves and moss. Then the female sits in the nest and awaits laying eggs. Basically, this process occurs at the end of April, the beginning of July. For one laying, Dunlin produce up to five eggs as possible. They are also engaged in incubation by the female, the duration of this action takes about three weeks. Even after the chicks are born, the female cannot go far from the nest, because at first the babies are completely independent and helpless. For this reason, the first time the female is constantly near the chicks and feeds them.After the chicks can move independently and fly, the female will finally be able to return to her former life. As soon as the little ones begin to fly, they can already get their own food, so they no longer need the help of their parents.

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Where do dunnies live?

These birds are distinguished by the fact that they choose only cold stripes for living. These birds are considered migratory, as in the cold they fly to warmer areas. The nesting period they traditionally occur in Europe. Most often for the arrangement of nests dunnies select areas with swamps and flooded meadows. When individuals fly to other territories for wintering, they also try to select places bordering on rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. Also one of the favorite areas of Dunlin are overgrown with shrubs. In such an environment, it is very easy to hide your offspring and equipped nests.

Interesting about Dunlin

An interesting fact about these birds is their great care for their offspring.If it is necessary to protect future chicks, they can even go to extreme measures, for example, dive under the water with the egg in order to protect it from predators.

Dunlin can be attributed to long-livers among birds, since their average lifespan is 24 years.

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