Slide 11 of 23
Notes:
But the damage was done, and red knots began to show signs of decline. Starting in 1999, many knots couldn’t reach departure weights by the end of the month, a marked contrast to birds in 1997 and 1998. In 2000 the problem appeared to worsen with many birds leaving the bay before reaching departure weights, presumably to find alternative foods.
In related studies we found the knots feeding on mussel spat, or newly hatched mussels on the Atlantic Coast. Knots cannot reach departure weights in time for the breeding season while feeding on mussel spat.
