Overview
This species has short dark legs and a medium-length thin dark bill. Breeding adults have mottled greyish upperparts with some rufous feathering. The face, throat and breast are heavily spotted black, and there are also some streaks on the rear belly. In winter the plumage becomes uniformly pale grey above. This bird is closely related to the more widespread red knot. In breeding plumage, the latter has a distinctive red face, throat and breast. In other plumages, the great knot can be identified by its larger size, longer bill, deeper chest, and the more streaked upperparts.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Genus
- Calidris
- Species
- tenuirostris
Habitat
Tundra during breeding season and coastline while wintering.
Diet
Molluscs and insects.
Behavior
They nest on the ground laying about four eggs in a ground scrape. These birds forage on mudflats and beaches, probing or picking up food by sight.
Hunting
More information is needed.
Conservation Status
Listed as Endangered This species has been uplisted to Endangered owing to recent evidence showing a very rapid population decline caused by reclamation of non-breeding stopover grounds, and under the assumption that further proposed reclamation projects will cause additional declines in the future. (IUCN)by IUCN.