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Red Knot
(Calidris canutus)
: "Knot", "Lesser Knot", "Grey-crowned Knot"
German name(s): "Knutt"
Size: 23-25 cm; wing span 57-61 cm
Weight: 90-215 g (depending on race)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Red Knots are small waders.
Their plumage
is highly cryptic.
When seen in Europe, they are usually (but not always) in
eclipse
plumage.
During the
non-breeding season they have a light-grey front, except
for some grey wash and dark streaking on the breast, flanks and
some dark barring on the undertail coverts. Except for light-grey
eyebrows, the rest of the head is grey, with some dark-grey
streaking. The back is grey, with dark-grey central lines and
light-grey edge lining on the wing feathers.
In-flight they show a thin wing bar.
During the breeding season, those parts on the front (head, throat,
chest, upper belly) that are light-grey outside the breeding season
turn rust-red. Thin eyerings remain light-grey. The back and wings
turn dark red-brown, with light grey edge lining. The vent and
undertail coverts remain basically unchanged.
The eyes have dark irises. The dark-grey bill is straight and about
as long as the size of the head. The legs and feet are dark-grey.
The legs are short, giving the species a "dumpy" appearance.
In flight the feet do not protrude beyond the tail.
Juveniles
roughly resemble non-breeding
adults, but
they have a spotted (rather than streaked) front with a buff wash
and the back has a crisper scaly appearance, with prominent
light-grey edge lining.
The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the
Calidris, Tringa, Actitis and
related families or of the Charadrius, Pluvialis and related genera
in the field can be quite tricky. We have therefore made an attempt to
give some advice HERE.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Red
Knot at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the
ebird.org
website.
The global distribution of the Red Knot is available
HERE
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Red Knots are a global, strongly migratory species with 6 different
races. Their breeding grounds are located in Arctic tundra and
rocky terrain on all northern continents and also on many Arctic
islands (including e.g. Greenland and Iceland).
Birds from North America winter in South America and
Europe,
while the western Eurasian population winters in Africa and more
eastern Asian populations migrate to New Guinea,
Australia
and New Zealand.
During their migration and in their winter grounds they are found
predominantly in coastal areas.
Red Knots are non-breeding winter migrants to Europe from their
breeding grounds in the Arctic North. While in Europe, they are
a strictly coastal species. Winter quarters in Europe are scattered
along the West coast from Denmark in the North to southern Portugal
in the South. Other than Sicily and around the Bosporus, they
usually do not stay on the northern coastline of the Mediterranean.
Red Knots have a preference for coastal habitats, in particular
tidal sands and mudflats.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "canutus"
G. Pinelas reports spotting Red Knots, nominate race
"canutus",
at Lagoa de Albufeira,
near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, in October 2017.
J. Pires reports finding a Red Knot, nominate
race "canutus",
at Odemira, Beja, Portugal, in October 2018.
Race "rogersi"
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Photos |
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Race "canutus"
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ADULT |
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NON-BREEDING |
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Frontal view of a Red Knot in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
Near-lateral view of a Red Knot in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
Lateral view of a Red Knot in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
Lateral view of a Red Knot in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
Lateral view of Red Knots in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
Lateral view of Red Knots in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
View from behind of Red Knots in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
View from behind of Red Knots in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, October 2017]
Race "rogersi"
Red Knots, race
"rogersi", were photographed by us in Australia.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.