Scientists tracks Red Knots using decades of tagging and monitoring. This data reveals specific avian journeys spanning thousands of miles. By linking South American coasts to the Delaware Bay and eventually the Canadian Arctic, we see one grand ecosystem. The rufa Red Knot is endangered in Canada and faces serious conservation pressures.
Biologist Larry Niles leads efforts to study Red Knot movements and restore vital habitats for these shorebirds. This initiative utilizes insights from global researchers and environmental groups.
Between 2026 and 2028, I will accumulate over 10,000 cumulative swim, bike, and run miles to support this.
What this project will ask
At each major stop, I want to answer three practical questions:
1. Why do Red Knots need this place?
2. What is putting it at risk?
3. What could additional funding realistically accomplish here?
How funds may be used
• Red Knot tracking, banding and population monitoring
• Protecting and restoring important stopover habitat
• Horseshoe-crab and shorebird conservation work at Delaware Bay
• Protecting South American wintering and migration habitat
• Research in parts of the migration that remain poorly understood
Specific recipient nonprofits and projects will be named only after they agree to participate. The site will then explain what each organization proposes to do with the money—not just display its logo.
Global Avian Migration Pathways
Observational Data Study
Informing the Project Mission
Examples of potential partners. Our funding supports the Red Knot across its full range, from Chile to the Arctic, spanning the 2028 journey through key locations to help these birds overcome pressures.
Dr. Larry Niles
Lead Biologist & Program Director
With three decades in the field, Dr. Niles leads Delaware Bay shorebird protection, using advanced Red Knot tagging to map their flight. The rufa Red Knot faces serious conservation pressures.
Dr. Amanda Dey
Principal Zoologist
Expert in avian systems, Dr. Dey directs shorebird monitoring, studying how crab health impacts the survival of Red Knots. She identifies risks where the rufa Red Knot is endangered.
Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition
Restoring vital coastal shorelines to support the diet of migratory Red Knots.
Fundación Inalafquén
A Patagonia-based group protecting marine sites where Red Knots winter during their long journeys north.
American Bird Conservancy
A group protecting Red Knots and habitats across the Americas. The rufa Red Knot is endangered in Canada and faces serious conservation pressures throughout its migration range.
Virginia Tech Shorebird Program
Gathering field data on coastal birds to assist management of the Red Knot flyway. They help document why the rufa Red Knot faces serious conservation pressures.