
Red knots breed in the high Arctic and migrate as far as 19,000 miles southward to their wintering grounds. Researchers are tagging as many red knots as they can (including the bird at right) to get a better sense of the species' population. They now believe there are between 18,000 and 33,000 — and falling fast, making them a species of "high concern."
(Globe Staff Photo / Mark Wilson)

