Knot at Titchwell by Elizabeth Dack 1/5
Knots flying along the beach by Elizabeth Dack 2/5
Knot in winter plumage by Elizabeth Dack 3/5
Knot flying by Elizabeth Dack 4/5
Knot having a bath by Julian Thomas 5/5

Knot Calidris canutus

The knot is a dumpy shorebird which, in Norfolk, occurs almost exclusively in muddy coastal habitats, such as the Wash, where it feeds on invertebrates, especially bivalve molluscs including tellins. It is closely related to the dunlin and sanderling but is larger and more solidly built. It is a winter visitor to Norfolk and the UK, returning each spring to breed in the high arctic.

Conservation status

The knot is on the amber list in the UK on account of its internationally significant non-breeding population, which is restricted to specific habitats. Europe-wide the knot is declining.

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Details

Did you know? The knot’s common and scientific names are derived from King Canute (or Knut) who, like the shorebird, was associated with the incoming tide.

In North America the species is known as the red knot, after is coppery breeding plumage.
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