Red Knot

Calidris canutus

Sandpipers and Allies · Charadriiformes · Common

The Red Knot (Calidris canutus) is a common sandpiper found in 139 countries, weighing about 142 g. The red knot or just knot is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia.

Near ThreatenedCommonEats invertebratescoastalscrape nest142 g

About the Red Knot

The red knot or just knot is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the Calidris sandpipers, second only to the great knot. Six subspecies are recognised.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Red Knot sounds like

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Owen Camus · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Recorded as a rare visitor in Guinea, St. Martin, Macao SAR China, Luxembourg, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Jamaica, St. Barthélemy, North Korea, Yemen, Palau.

When to see it

Best months: January, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in August. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

What does a Red Knot look like?
The red knot or just knot is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia.
How big is a Red Knot?
The Red Knot is a medium sized bird weighing about 142 g.
Where can you see a Red Knot?
The Red Knot occurs in 139 countries, including the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada.
What does a Red Knot sound like?
You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Red Knot on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Red Knot?
The Red Knot is most easily confused with the Little Stint, the Curlew Sandpiper and the Stilt Sandpiper.
Is the Red Knot endangered?
The Red Knot is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Red Knot for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.