Photo: Lisa Hupp / USFWS · Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska · U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service · Public Domain
← Kodiak species
Shorebirds
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
A small, hunch-backed sandpiper with a drooped bill tip. Breeds on coastal tundra; enormous flocks pass through Kodiak in fall, sweeping over mudflats in tight aerial formations.
Where to look
Mudflats at Womens Bay, Buskin River mouth, and coastal estuaries around Kodiak Island.
Habitat
Coastal tundra for breeding; mudflats and estuaries during migration.
Diet
Invertebrates, worms, and crustaceans found by probing mud.
Natural history note
Dunlin flocks are famous for their murmuration-like synchronized flights, which may confuse predators.