Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: South Carolina
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

While the importance of Delaware Bay to migratory Red Knots (Calidris canutus) has been well established, the importance of the southeastern states has only recently begun to be understood. Large flocks of knots migrate through South Carolina (SC) and Georgia (GA) during spring, a critical time during the annual cycle when shorebirds refuel in preparation for long flights to the Arctic breeding grounds. For example, biologists with SC DNR have documented peak counts of at least 8,000 knots during one-time spring counts at a focal area along the central SC coast. Preliminary data suggest that a significant portion of red knots using the SC and GA coasts departed the area over land (i.e., not along the Atlantic coastline) directly for James Bay, the final or penultimate staging area before arriving at breeding sites. If this is the case, then the SC/GA coastline may be the last stop in the U.S. for an unknown but significant portion of the rufa red knot population on their way to the Arctic. We will partner with SC DNR to deploy satellite tags on migratory Red Knots. Movement data from satellite tags will inform ongoing efforts to document migratory paths, use areas within the southeastern US and other regions, and the location of Arctic breeding areas. Such data will therefore be of high value for conservation planning across a broad geographic area.