Mapping endangered red knots' remote breeding habitat
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 - 08:30
in Biology & Nature
The rufa subspecies of Red Knot travels from its breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic to its winter habitat in South America and back each year, an incredible 15,000 kilometers each way. Its numbers have fallen precipitously in recent decades, and with such a broad range, determining what's behind the shorebird's decline is a huge challenge. A new study from The Condor: Ornithological Applications examines Red Knot nesting habitat preferences across the Arctic and determines that while there is plenty of breeding habitat to support today's population, climate change could pose a threat in the future.