One of a flock of red knots that were busy eating during low tide in SW-Iceland. Collecting fat is most important before they take off for the arduous flight to their breeding grounds in N-Greenland and the Arctic islands of NE-Canada. In a few days this bird will leave Iceland and head north. Members of the islandica subspecies winter in W-Europe.
American red knot, Calidris canutus rufa, that breed in the Canadian Arctic fly all the way to Patagonia in S-America to winter there. It is quite a journey.
There are four more subspecies of red knots. C. c. roselaari breed in Wrangel Island and NW Alaska and winter in Panama and Venezuela, C. c. canutus breed in Siberia and winter in W-Africa, C.c. piersmai breed in E-Siberia and winter in NW-Australia and C. c. rogersi breed in E-Siberia and winter in E-Australia.
Red knots are truly adorable birds.
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