Red Knot

Calidris canutus

General Status Rank: 
At Risk
ELCODE: 
ABNNF11020
Common Name: 
Red Knot
Scientific Name: 
Calidris canutus
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Bird
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Aves
Order: 
Charadriiformes
Family: 
Scolopacidae
References: 
B004
General Biology

Longevity

Up to a recorded 25 years, but life expectancy is 4-5 years
References: 
R156

Economic/Human Considerations

nonhunted species
References: 
H125
Habitat
well-vegetated, moist tundra
References: 
B004
H125
R156
Distribution

Ecozones

Arctic Cordillera, Northern Arctic, Southern Arctic
References: 
B004

Distribution

(3 as C.c islandica +1 as C.c. rufa)/164 =0.02 maybe be up to 0.05, peripheral species in NWT; Small range in northern Arctic islands (Melville, Prince Patrick, Mackenzie King). Range extent visually estimated from range map in "Distribution of birds in NWT & Nunavut: 2009 Review" (CWS).
Score: 
F
References: 
B004
H125
H306
Winter Distribution Description: 
C.c ruffa- Gulf of Mexico and extreme south in South America (Tierra del Fuego) and C.c. islandica - Europe

Number of Occurrences

C.c. islandica nesting on Queen Elizabeth Islands, and C.c. rufa nesting in the NWT on shores of Prince Albert Sound on SW Victoria Island.
Score: 
D
References: 
R156
B150

Historical Distribution

neither present nor historic dist'n in NWT is known
References: 
H125

Area of Occupancy

likely stable
Score: 
-
References: 
VJ12
VJ13
R156
B150
R157
H306
A380
Population

Population Size

Two subspecies breed in NWT: C.c. islandica has an estimated Canadian population size of 81 000 and C.c. rufa has an estimated Canadian population of 13,500 - 15,000. At least 5% of each of these two populations are distributed in NWT, so the population is likely >4725. (R156).
Score: 
DE
References: 
VJ13
R156
Trends

Trends

Most show a decline for rufa with >30% decline in 5 years (R156), declined considerably since the 1970s for islandica (B150) (R157)
Score: 
AE
References: 
VJ12
VJ13
R156
B150
R157
H306
A380
Threats

Threats

likely limited in NWT and Nunavut; but the main food during spring migration on the eastern seaboard of US is declining rapidlyThe primary threat to C.c. rufa populations is deterioration of food sources, horseshoe crab eggs, during spring migratio
Score: 
B
References: 
H125
R156

Intrinsic Vulnerability

probably climate change in high arctic
Score: 
-
References: 
H125
R156
General Status Rank
Rank: 
At Risk
Status Rank Description: 
popn trends rapidly declining for rufa,and for islandica
S Rank: 
S1S2
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted as secure by Vicky Johnston and S. Carriere mostly based on printed material in 2000; Modified in 2005 by Vicky Johnston and S. Carriere mostly from Ref COSEWIC report to sensitive due to declines in numbers; Reviewed in 2009; modified to At risk based on COSEWIC assessments of two subspecies; Reviewed in 2010;no change; Reviewed by Emily Upham-Mills CWS in 2015, no change
Last Updated: 
October 17, 2017
Status Designations

NWT - Assessment by Species at Risk Committee

NWT SARC Assessment: 
Not Applicable
Species under federal jurisdiction

NWT - Species at Risk Legal Status

NWT Status Rank: 
Not Applicable
Species under federal jurisdiction

Canada – Assessment by Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

COSEWIC Status: 
Endangered
Rufa: Endangered 2007; islandica: Special Concern 2007; rosellari Threatened 2007; COSEWIC 2007. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Red Knot Calidris canutus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. vii + 58 pp.
References: 
R156
R179

Canada – Species at Risk Legal Status

SARA Status: 
Endangered
Rufa: Endangered - 2012; islandica Special Concern - 2012; rosellari Threatened - 2012
References: 
W103

References

Area of Occupancy

  • Bart, J, S. Brown, B. Harrington, and RIG Morrison. (2005) Population trends of North American shorebird.. Avian Biol. X:XX (in press) - VJ12 Return
  • Morrison, RIG, BJ McCaffery, S. Skagen, B. Andres, G. Page, S. Jones, and RE Gill. (2005) Population estimates of North American shorebirds,2005. Draft MS. (CWS?) - VJ13 Return
  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return
  • Harrington, B. A. (2001) Red Knot (Calidris canutus). In The Birds of North America,. No. 563 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA - B150 Return
  • Donaldson, G.M. et al. (2000) Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan. CWS 27 pp - R157 Return
  • Rausch, Jennie (2015) shorebird biologist, CWS Yellowknife - H306 Return
  • Andres BA, Smith PA, Morrison RIG, Gratto-Trevor CL, Brown SC, and Friis, CA. (2012) Wader Study Group Bull. 119(3): 178-194.) - A380 Return
COSEWIC Status
  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return
  • COSEWIC (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on the Red Knot Calidris canutus. - R179 Return

Economic Status

  • Johnston, Vicky (2000) Personal Communication . Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service - H125 Return

Ecozones

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Federal Species at Risk Status

  • Government of Canada (2016) Species at Risk Public Registry. http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm - W103 Return

Habitat

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Johnston, Vicky (2000) Personal Communication . Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service - H125 Return
  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Johnston, Vicky (2000) Personal Communication . Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service - H125 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Johnston, Vicky (2000) Personal Communication . Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service - H125 Return
  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return

Longevity

  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return
  • Harrington, B. A. (2001) Red Knot (Calidris canutus). In The Birds of North America,. No. 563 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA - B150 Return

Population Size

Morrison, RIG, BJ McCaffery, S. Skagen, B. Andres, G. Page, S. Jones, and RE Gill. (2005) Population estimates of North American shorebirds,2005. Draft MS. (CWS?) - VJ13 Return
,
Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return

Range Extent

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Johnston, Vicky (2000) Personal Communication . Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service - H125 Return
  • Rausch, Jennie (2015) shorebird biologist, CWS Yellowknife - H306 Return

Short Term Trends

  • Bart, J, S. Brown, B. Harrington, and RIG Morrison. (2005) Population trends of North American shorebird.. Avian Biol. X:XX (in press) - VJ12 Return
  • Morrison, RIG, BJ McCaffery, S. Skagen, B. Andres, G. Page, S. Jones, and RE Gill. (2005) Population estimates of North American shorebirds,2005. Draft MS. (CWS?) - VJ13 Return
  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return
  • Harrington, B. A. (2001) Red Knot (Calidris canutus). In The Birds of North America,. No. 563 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA - B150 Return
  • Donaldson, G.M. et al. (2000) Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan. CWS 27 pp - R157 Return
  • Rausch, Jennie (2015) shorebird biologist, CWS Yellowknife - H306 Return
  • Andres BA, Smith PA, Morrison RIG, Gratto-Trevor CL, Brown SC, and Friis, CA. (2012) Wader Study Group Bull. 119(3): 178-194.) - A380 Return

Taxonomy

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Threats

  • Johnston, Vicky (2000) Personal Communication . Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service - H125 Return
  • Morrison et al. (2007) COSEWIC Status Report on Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in Canada.. COSEWIC report - R156 Return