Great Knot

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

The Great Knot is the largest of the Calidris sandpipers, measuring 26 to 30 centimetres. A bulky, heavy-chested shorebird with relatively short dark legs and a medium-length, slender dark bill that tapers slightly, it is a highly gregarious migratory visitor to Australian coastlines. In the non-breeding plumage typically seen locally, it appears pale grey above and white below, with the breast and flanks distinctly marked with dark spots and streaks. Before migration, adults develop a striking breeding plumage featuring heavy black spotting across the face, neck, and chest, alongside distinct rufous patches on the scapular feathers. In flight, they show a white rump with fine dark barring and a subtle pale wing bar. Usually quiet while feeding, they may emit a low, rasping "nyut-nyut," a guttural flight call, or a short, whistled "quer-wick" when flushed or communicating within a flock. They are strictly coastal, preferring expansive intertidal mudflats, sheltered bays, and sandy estuaries, with the highest concentrations found in northern and northwestern Australia. They forage by walking steadily and probing deeply into soft mud for molluscs and other invertebrates. This species is most easily confused with the Red Knot, which is smaller, shorter-billed, and has a cleaner grey appearance in non-breeding plumage. In breeding plumage, the Great Knot’s heavily black-spotted breast contrasts sharply with the solid brick-red underparts of the Red Knot. The Bar-tailed Godwit is significantly larger with a much longer, slightly upturned bill.

Description · BirdUp · CC BY-SA 4.0