Red Knot (Calidris canutus), Goldman Dairy Sludge Ponds, Pinal County

This Red Knot was found by Doug Jenness on 28 August 2017 and photographed by him on 01 September 2017

A casual fall transient in Arizona and apprent first county record if accepted by the ABC. Its worldwide population is seriously declining.

This is a juvenile Red Knot, which is aged by the scaly pattern on the bird's scapulars, coverts, and tertials. Juvenile and non-breeding Red Knots are mostly gray with a white lower belly, barred flanks, and dull yellow-grayish legs. Red Knot is a chunky but long-winged shorebird and its shape is quite distinctive. It has short legs, medium-length bill, and a horizontal stance. In flight this bird has broad-based, long and pointed wings. Its pale gray tail and rump are also a unique identification feature when comparing this bird to other similar shorebirds. 

01 September 2017, photo by Doug Jenness

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