Great Knot

The Great Knot, known scientifically as Calidris tenuirostris, is a small yet the largest wader within its genus. This robust bird is adorned with short, dark legs and a medium-length, slender bill. During the breeding season, adults boast a mottled greyish upper body with hints of rufous, while their face, throat, and breast are peppered with black spots. In the non-breeding season, they don a more uniform pale grey plumage above.

Identification Tips

To distinguish the Great Knot from its close relative, the Red Knot, one should look for the Great Knot's larger size, longer bill, and deeper chest. The breeding plumage is particularly telling, with the Great Knot lacking the Red Knot's distinctive red face, throat, and breast. Instead, it has more streaked upper parts and a heavily spotted black breast.

Habitat

The Great Knot breeds on the tundra of northeast Siberia, where it lays its eggs in simple ground scrapes. Outside the breeding season, it can be found on coasts across southern Asia to Australia, frequenting mudflats and beaches.

Distribution

A highly migratory species, the Great Knot breeds in Siberia and winters along the coasts of southern Asia and Australia. It forms vast flocks in its wintering grounds. Occasionally, individuals are recorded in western Alaska and have been spotted as vagrants in British Columbia, Canada, and several states in the U.S.

Behaviour

Great Knots are known to forage by probing mudflats and beaches or by picking up food by sight. They are social birds, often seen in large flocks during the non-breeding season.

Breeding

In the remote tundra of Siberia, Great Knots lay about four eggs in a ground scrape. The specifics of their breeding behavior, including courtship and parental care, are not detailed here.

Similar Species

The Red Knot is the most similar species, but it can be differentiated by its smaller size, shorter bill, and the red coloration in its breeding plumage.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Great Knot primarily consists of molluscs and insects, which they skillfully extract from their coastal feeding grounds.

Conservation status

The Great Knot is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. In Australia, it is considered Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act. Conservation efforts are guided by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). Recent studies suggest that the population may be stabilizing or declining at a rate less than the threshold for critical concern.