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Red Knot

Calidris canutusOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)
Codes: Common Name: REKN Scientific Name: CALCAN ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176642
Least Concern
 
Red knot
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Overview

Red Knot: Medium-sized sandpiper with black, brown and gray scaled upperparts, red-brown face, neck, breast and sides, and white lower belly. Wings show white bars in flight. Bill is black and slightly curved. Eats insects, larvae, mollusks and crabs. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Red Knot: Breeds on islands in the arctic regions of Canada. Spends winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts from California and Massachusetts south to South America; also found in Europe and Asia. Nests on tundra; found on tidal flats, rocky shores, and beaches during migration and winter.

Topo Map: Sandpiper-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"quer-wer", "knut"

Interesting Facts

 A group of knots are collectively known as a "cluster", "fling", and "tangle" of knots.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Splitbar
Range Map for Red Knot

Related Birds

Sanderling
Willet
Dunlin
Stilt Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Surfbird
Great Knot
.
Family Sandpiper (Scolopacidae)_blue
Species Calidris canutus
Length10 - 11 Inches
Wingspan20 Inches

Red Knot

Red Knot: Medium-sized sandpiper with black, brown and gray scaled upperparts, red-brown face, neck, breast and sides, and white lower belly. Wings show white bars in flight. Bill is black and slightly curved. Eats insects, larvae, mollusks and crabs. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Song: "quer-wer", "knut"

● Foraging & Feeding: Red Knot: Feeds on marine and freshwater invertebrates such as aquatic insects, small mollusks, and various kinds of worms; also eats seeds. Forages on the ground, probing sandy beaches with its bill.

● Breeding & nesting: Red Knot: Three to four pale olive buff eggs spotted with brown and black are laid in a ground depression lined with lichens, leaves, and moss, usually built near water. Incubation ranges from 21 to 23 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Red Knot: Curlew Sandpiper has a decurved bill and white rump. Sanderling is smaller and has black spots on breast and a bold white wing stripe.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
Red Knot Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Red Knot: Breeds on islands in the arctic regions of Canada. Spends winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts from California and Massachusetts south to South America; also found in Europe and Asia. Nests on tundra; found on tidal flats, rocky shores, and beaches during migration and winter.
BreedingMonogamous, Gregarious.
PopulationUncommon to fairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight4.4 Ounces
Sandpiper-like BodyX
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BellyX
The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
BreastX
The upper front part of a bird.
FaceX
The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX