Calidris canutus
Silhouette: Richard Rich · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The red knot or just knot (Calidris canutus) is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is the type species of the genus Calidris. Six subspecies are recognised.
Their diet varies according to season; arthropods and larvae are the preferred food items at the breeding grounds, while various hard-shelled molluscs are consumed at other feeding sites at other times. North American breeders migrate to coastal areas in Europe and South America, while the Eurasian populations winter in Africa, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand. This species forms enormous flocks when not breeding.
The red knot was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Tringa canutus. The red knot and the great knot were originally the only two species placed in the genus Calidris, but many other species of sandpiper were subsequently added. A 2004 study found that the genus was polyphyletic and that the closest relative of the two knot species is the surfbird (Calidris virgata).
There are six subspecies, in order of size: Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Dublin | 🇮🇪 Ireland | |
| 4 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | Maputo | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 6 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Havana | 🇨🇺 Cuba | |
| 9 | Manila | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 10 | Porto | 🇵🇹 Portugal |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Monterey Bay Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red Knot sighting in Rottnest Island on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 69th most-seen of the 81 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red Knot in Rottnest Island on a given day, against under 5% in April to February, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red Knot sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
13th of 24
Of the 24 parks where we can rate Red Knot sightings, Rottnest Island ranks 13th at under 5%. The best odds are in Wadden Sea National Park (Germany, about 20%), Padre Island National Seashore (United States, about 10%) and West Coast National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same genus: Calidris
The closest relatives of the Red Knot that you can see in Rottnest Island (genus Calidris, Calidris Sandpipers) are Red-necked Stint (about 60%), Sanderling (about 20%) and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red Knot is recorded against all the birds logged in Rottnest Island (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
