Photo: Original: tcager; this edit: User:MPF / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Endangered

Shorebirds

Great Knot

Calidris tenuirostris

Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Spain Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of Indonesia Birds of India Birds of Japan Birds of Malaysia Birds of the Netherlands Birds of New Zealand Birds of the Philippines

By family

Sandpipers & Allies of Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Spain Sandpipers & Allies of the United Kingdom Sandpipers & Allies of Indonesia Sandpipers & Allies of India Sandpipers & Allies of Japan Sandpipers & Allies of Malaysia Sandpipers & Allies of the Netherlands Sandpipers & Allies of New Zealand Sandpipers & Allies of the Philippines

See what's near you right now

The Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 192 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

EN Endangered

Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
Genus Calidris
Species tenuirostris

Where it lives

Low Arctic and subarctic montane tundra: northeastern Siberia from Yakutsk east to Anadyr Pen.

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 192 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Great Knot hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Great Knot is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) belongs to the Scolopacidae family of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL low Arctic and subarctic montane tundra: ne Siberia from Yakutsk e to Anadyr Pen.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 192 g, with a wing length of about 17.6 cm and a tail of around 6.4 cm.

It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.5 million km².

Songs & calls

Great Knot — Alarm call

Recorded by Christian A. Jensen Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Great Knot?

The Great Knot is a large bird that weighs around 192 g.

Where does the Great Knot live?

The Great Knot is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL low Arctic and subarctic montane tundra: ne Siberia from Yakutsk e to Anadyr Pen, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Great Knot belong to?

The Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Great Knot eat?

The Great Knot hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Great Knot migrate?

The Great Knot is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Great Knot endangered?

It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

What sound does the Great Knot make?

1 real field recording of the Great Knot — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Great Knot's range?

The Great Knot has a mapped global range of about 1.5 million km².