A medium shorebird that turns brick-red in breeding plumage. The rufa subspecies undertakes one of the longest migrations of any bird — 30,000+ km annually between Tierra del Fuego and the Canadian Arctic. Crashed populations spurred horseshoe crab egg protection.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The red knot or just knot is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the Calidris sandpipers, second only to the great knot. Six subspecies are recognised.
Source: Wikipedia — Red knot Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Medium chunky shorebird; brick-red in breeding plumage, gray in winter. Long dark bill.
Similar species. Other shorebirds without distinctive brick-red breeding plumage. Black-bellied Plover (different shape).
Voice. Mellow "tooot-tooo" calls.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Horseshoe crab eggs (critical), small mollusks, crustaceans.
Behavior. Migrates over 25,000 km annually between Tierra del Fuego and Canadian Arctic. Spectacularly dependent on horseshoe crab eggs at Delaware Bay stopover.
§ Range
Migrates through eastern North America; breeds Arctic Canada, winters Argentina
§ Habitat
Beaches, mudflats, tidal areas during migration
§ Threats
Horseshoe crab overharvest reducing egg supply, beach disturbance, climate change in the Arctic.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the red knot is currently classified as Near Threatened.
§ What helps
Support horseshoe crab harvest limits. Visit Delaware Bay in May for the spectacle. Donate to NJ Audubon.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Red knot
- www.fws.gov — authoritative profile of Calidris canutus rufa
- IUCN Red List · taxon 22693363
- iNaturalist · taxon 4250
- eBird · redkno
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Calidris canutus rufa
§ Sources cited
- USFWS Red Knot Recovery
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List 2018
