The red knot gathers at Delaware Bay each spring to feed on horseshoe crab eggs.
During northward migration, red knots stop along Delaware Bay, where spawning horseshoe crabs provide a concentrated food supply. The birds eat the nutrient-rich eggs to build the energy reserves needed for the remaining journey to Arctic breeding grounds.
Some red knots travel from southern South America to the Canadian Arctic, covering roughly 15,000 kilometres annually. Their migration is timed closely with the horseshoe crab spawning season, making the bay a crucial refuelling site.
The red knot is not the only shorebird using Delaware Bay. Ruddy turnstones, semipalmated sandpipers, and sanderlings also feed there. However, the red knot is particularly famous for its dependence on the seasonal egg supply and its long-distance migration.