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Great Knot | Calidris tenuirostris

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The Great Knot is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Scolopacidae bird family group which includes birds such as Snipes, Godwits, Curlews, Whimbrels, Shanks, Stints, Sandpipers, Ruff, Turnstones, Phalaropes.

The description for the Great Knot (Latin name Calidris tenuirostris) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Calidris tenuirostris can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of and the detailed description of this bird is on page 364. You will find a picture of the Great Knot on page 369.

NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any.

There have been no changes in the common name between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition. There have been no changes in the Latin name for the Great Knot between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition

The Great Knot has a height of 28 cms and weighs around 150 gms. The head is coloured brown while the bill is coloured black. The Calidris tenuirostris has a white coloured throat, grey legs and a black, brown coloured back. The eyes are brown.

Take note of the main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size. Colours of body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts.

Head is brown

Eyes are brown

Bill is black

Legs are grey

Throat is white

Back is black, brown

Feeding Habits ...

This bird forages for food on the ground

This bird has a specially adapted bill which helps it hunt for fish, crabs, shrimp and other aquatic animals in the water.

This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten .

Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...

You can see the Great Knot bird on coastal regions and on the sea shore where the bird will be foraging with other birds

Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...

This bird is usually seen in small family groups or in large flocks