Knot
Calidris canutus
Knot
The knot is a small wading bird that breeds in the high Arctic and visits the UK – including the Solent – only in winter. It does not breed in the UK.
This medium-sized, stocky wader has short grey-green legs and a relatively small head compared to its body. In winter, its plumage is grey and white, a striking contrast to its brick-red summer coat.
Knots often gather in huge flocks during winter, wheeling and turning in flight and flashing their pale underwings as they twist and turn. Their diet mainly consists of shellfish and worms.
Local spotlight
Large numbers of knots can be sometimes seen on muddy estuaries around the Solent during winter.
Conservation status
The species is amber listed in the UK. Although not named in the Solent’s Special Protection Areas, knots are an important part of the coastal ecosystem and contribute to the non-breeding waterbird assemblages for which these regions are protected.
Did you know?
A knot’s bill contains special sensory organs that help it detect prey beneath mud and sand – a technique similar to how bats use echolocation.
