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Red Knot

Shorebirds

Photo: Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 4.0

Calidris canutus

Basic stats

Diet

Arthropods and larvae on the breeding grounds; hard-shelled molluscs elsewhere

Habitat

Coastal mudflats and wetland; breeds on high Arctic tundra

The red knot is a medium-sized shorebird that breeds on tundra in the far north of Canada, Europe and Russia, with six recognised subspecies. Its body shape is typical for the genus, with a small head and eyes, a short neck and a slightly tapering bill no longer than its head. It has one of the longest migrations of any landbird, and some birds of one subspecies travel more than 14,000 km each way between the Arctic and the southern tip of South America (Wikipedia, general species account).

Its diet changes with the season: arthropods and larvae are preferred on the breeding grounds and hard-shelled molluscs at other feeding sites. Both sexes incubate the eggs, but the female leaves parental care to the male after hatching (Wikipedia, general species account).

Quick answers

What does the Red Knot eat?
Arthropods and larvae on the breeding grounds; hard-shelled molluscs elsewhere
What habitat does the Red Knot live in?
Coastal mudflats and wetland; breeds on high Arctic tundra
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