Description
TitleStatus of the Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in the Western Hemisphere
PublisherNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Division of Fish & Wildlife, Endangered & Nongame Species Program
Date Created2007
Subjectanimals, beach, biology, birds, coastal zone, conservation, ecology, endangered species, environmental data, environmental monitoring, fisheries, invertebrates, rivers, threatened species, watershed, red knot, horseshoe crab, rufa, calidris canutus, migratory birds, Delaware Bay, Cape May Peninsula, Cape May County, Delaware, New Jersey
Extent257 p., color photos, maps, tables, graphs
DescriptionThe population of the rufa subspecies of the red knot (Calidris canutus) has declined dramatically over the past twenty years. In 2002, population models showed that if adult survival remained low, rufa would go extinct within about ten years. Despite intensive studies, the reasons for the population decline and reduced adult survival are imperfectly known. The main identified threat is the reduced availability of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) eggs in Delaware Bay arising from elevated harvest of adult crabs for bait in the conch and eel fishing industries. During northward migration, most rufa stopover in Delaware Bay where they feed mainly on the eggs of the horseshoe crabs and lay down fat and protein reserves both to fuel the 3,000 kilometer flight to the arctic breeding grounds and ensure their survival after they arrive at a time when food availability is often low. This study describes rufa in the context of worldwide red knot populations; assesses its status, its general natural history, its habitat, its breeding system, its migrations and its feeding ecology; and addresses the threats it faces and the conservation actions that may lead to its recovery.
NotePrepared for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
NotePurpose: To describe a subspecies of the red knot, rufa, in the context of worldwide red knot populations; assesses its status, its general natural history, its habitat, its breeding system, its migrations and its feeding ecology; and addresses the threats it faces and the conservation actions that may lead to its recovery.
Data Life Cycle Event(s)
Date: 2008-02-26 00:00:00.0
Creator: Karen Hanson
CollectionNJEDL2
Organization NameNew Jersey Environmental Digital Library
RightsThis resource may be copyright protected. You may make use of this resource, with proper attribution, for educational and other non-commercial uses only. Contact the contributing organization to obtain permission for reproduction, publication, and commercial use.
Statistical Profile