Wintering birds: 320,000
Family: Sandpipers & allies
In breeding plumage, male knots have black upperparts with grey and pale chestnut edges and patches on the feathers which give it a scaled effect. The underparts are brick-red with white behind the legs, and the tail is brown with grey bars.
On the head, the face is brick-red, with brown mottling on the forehead, crown, and hindneck. The long, straight bill is black, the eyes are dark brown, and the legs and feet are dark grey.
Females are similar but have white patches on the underparts, and more white on the lower belly.
Out of breeding plumage, knots have pale grey upperparts with narrow white edges on the feathers, and black primaries on the wings. The underparts are white with pale grey marks on the breast and flanks. The head is grey with white cheeks and eyebrows, and black lores. The legs and feet are dull green.
Juvenile knots look like adults in non-breeding plumage. The breast is pale buff, the upperparts have grey and white scales, and the wing-coverts and scapulars have pale fringes and dark subterminal lines.
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Knots breed from June to August. They nest on the ground in open vegetation near water or on rocky shores and beaches. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with plant matter, such as leaves, lichen, and moss.
Knots lay 3-4 buff-coloured eggs with brown markings which are incubated by both parents for 21-23 days. Chicks are covered with mottled down making them well camouflaged. The female will usually leave the nest site soon after they hatch leaving the male to rear them alone. They fledge 18-20 days later and are sexually mature at 2-3 years old.
Knots eat mainly molluscs, insects, crustaceans, snails, and worms. In breeding season, they will supplement their diet with seeds and green plant matter including shoots, buds, and leaves.
Knots can be seen all year round on UK coasts and large estuaries. The largest numbers can be spotted between December and March in high tide roosts.
Britain's Birds
RSPB Handbook Of British Birds
Collins Bird Guide
It is not known how the knot got its name, but one theory suggests it was named after King Canute, because of the way it forages along the tide line.
