Knot Your Average Bird: A Case Study of the Rufa Red Knot in the Face of Climate Change

Authors

Stephanie Schwarz, Florida State University College of Law

First Page

165

Abstract

Analyzing the staggering distances traveled by migratory shorebirds, and the challenges faced by these birds during their migration periods, this Article conflates and contrasts the myriad environmental impacts climate change is forcing the globe to contend with. The rufa red knot navigates a migratory path that annually takes it from Tierra del Fuego all the way to Arctic Canada. Because the red knot’s course of migration is so lengthy, and because the number of ecosystems it encounters along the way are so diverse, the red knot is emblematic of the challenges faced by both migratory shorebirds, and the coastal ecosystems they rely upon that are now ever eroding due to climate change. Part I of this Article introduces the rufa red knot. Part II discusses the migration of the red knot and examines many of the challenges faced by the species. Part III analyzes the many threats facing the red knot, including climate change and pollution due to coastal fossil fuel extraction. Part IV introduces an environmental management theory based on “ecoscapes.” Part V discusses the many laws and regulations addressing the threats facing the red knot. Finally, in Part VI the author discusses how proffered solutions can be maximized for all migratory shorebirds.

Recommended Citation

Stephanie Schwarz, Knot Your Average Bird: A Case Study of the Rufa Red Knot in the Face of Climate Change, 22 Animal L. Rev. 165 (2015).
Available at: https://lawcommons.lclark.edu/alr/vol22/iss1/6