Red Knots Flying

Red Knots arrive along the Delaware Bay after flying in from Brazil. They fly straight through not stopping until they arrive here. The Red Knots feed on Horseshoe Crab eggs for up to 2 weeks, putting on weight, so that they can fly another 3 days straight until they arrive at the Arctic to breed. American Red Knot numbers have decreased significantly over the past decade becoming threathened with extinction due to the overharvesting of Horseshoe Crabs since the 1990's. Several enviromental groups launched an initiative to halt the harvest of horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay. After many years and much petitioning the NJ government did enact legistation to protect the Horseshoe Crabs to aid in the saving of the American Red Knots. Beaches along the Delaware Bay are closed to the public from early May through the second week of June to give the birds access to the Horseshoe Crab eggs without human interference. In the past years other bird species have acquired a taste for the Horseshoe Crab Eggs competing with the Red Knots. In the last picture you can see the size difference between the Laughing Gull, Ruddy Turnstone, and the Red Knot. All three birds feed on the eggs.