Seasonal style – plumage changes from summer to winter

As the seasons shift, so too do the wardrobes of many birds.

For species like black-tailed godwits, turnstones, sanderlings, dunlins and black-headed gulls, the transition between summer and winter brings dramatic changes in plumage. These transformations aren’t just for show – they play vital roles in camouflage, breeding and survival.

Here’s a closer look at how each of these birds changes its appearance through the year.

Black-tailed godwit

Summer plumage:

In the breeding season, black-tailed godwits are striking. Their plumage becomes a vibrant terracotta colour across the neck, breast and belly, with bold barring and a more defined contrast between the upperparts and underparts. This vibrant colouring helps attract mates and signals breeding readiness.

Winter plumage:

Outside the breeding season, godwits adopt a more subdued look. Their plumage turns pale grey and white, with less contrast and minimal barring, alongside their pink and black-tipped bill. This helps them blend into coastal habitats during migration and overwintering.

Black-tailed godwit in more vibrant summer plumage

A black-tailed godwit in paler winter plumage

On the Solent:

Black-tailed godwits are typically absent from the Solent during summer, as they migrate to breed in Iceland. However we often see individuals in transition to and from their summer plumage in spring or late summer when they’ve just arrived back on our shores. You’ll often see two godwits showing different colours at the same time, like these pictured.

Turnstone

Summer plumage:

Turnstones in summer are unmistakable. Their upperparts are a patchwork of black, white and chestnut, with a bold black breast band and bright orange legs. This plumage is ideal for rocky shorelines where they breed – offering both camouflage and visual signals to prospective mates.

Winter plumage:

In winter, turnstones lose the chestnut tones and become more uniformly dark brown and white. Their breast band remains, but the overall look is duller and less sharply defined. This helps them blend into coastal environments where they forage among seaweed and debris.

A turnstone in summer with a patchwork of black, white and chestnut

A turnstone in more uniform dark brown winter plumage

On the Solent:

Turnstones are winter visitors to the Solent and are generally absent during the breeding season. Occasionally, birds in spring or late summer may show remnants of their brighter summer plumage as they move between breeding and wintering grounds.

Sanderling

Summer plumage:

In summer, they sport a rusty-red head and breast with mottled black and brown upperparts. This breeding plumage is short-lived and seen mainly in Arctic breeding grounds.

Winter plumage:

By contrast, winter sanderlings are bright white and snowy. Their plumage becomes silvery-grey above and white below, with a clean, crisp appearance. This helps them blend into sandy beaches and tidal flats where they feed in flocks.

A sanderling in its more colourful summer plumage

A sanderling in winter plumage

Dunlin

Summer plumage:

Dunlins in breeding plumage are distinctive, with a black belly patch, reddish tones on the back and crown, and more defined streaking on the breast. This plumage is designed for nesting in upland and Arctic tundra habitats.

Winter plumage:

In winter, dunlins become much plainer – greyish-brown above and white below, with a softer, more uniform appearance. Their bill remains slightly downcurved, helping with identification even when plumage is less striking.

A dunlin in summer with more colourful plumage and a dark belly

In winter with plainer plumage and a white belly

On the Solent:

Dunlins are common winter visitors to the Solent, often seen in large flocks on mudflats. Though they breed elsewhere, individuals passing through in spring or late summer may show traces of their summer plumage, including the black belly patch.

Grey plover

Summer plumage:

Grey plovers in breeding plumage look completely different birds in summer – a difference which is reflected in their name in North America: ‘black-bellied plovers’. They develop a striking black face, throat and belly, bordered by white, with mottled black and white upperparts. This dramatic look is perfect for their Arctic breeding grounds.

Winter plumage:

In winter, grey plovers become much more subdued. Their plumage turns pale grey above and white below, with a faintly streaked breast and a more uniform appearance overall.

A grey plover in summer with a black belly

A grey plover in winter with a pale plumage

Black-headed gull

Summer plumage:

Despite the name, black-headed gulls don’t have black heads year-round. In summer, they develop a chocolate-brown hood (not truly black), which contrasts with their white body and grey wings. Their bill and legs also turn a vivid red.

Winter plumage:

In winter, the hood disappears – leaving just a dark smudge behind the eye. The rest of the plumage remains largely the same, though the bill and legs may dull slightly. This change reflects their non-breeding status and helps them blend into mixed gull flocks.

The dark head of the black-headed gull in summer

Black-headed gulls have pale heads in winter

On the Solent

Black-headed gulls are present year-round on the Solent, making them one of the few species in this list that can be seen in both summer and winter plumage locally.