The Red Knots arrived

Last week the Red Knots, migrating from South America, arrived along the Delaware Bayshore. It's all timed with the full moon, high tides and the Horseshoe Crabs spawning. They fly straight through from the southern tip of South America not stopping until they arrive here. Like many migratory birds they also reduce the size of their digestive organs prior to migration. The Red Knots feed on Horseshoe Crab eggs for up to 2 weeks, often doubling their weight, so that they can fly another 3 to 6 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.