Crabs on the Menu in Maryland

Red knots, relatively large, migratory shorebirds, will get a tasty respite in Maryland during their more than 9,000 mile migration this year. According to the Bay & Environment blog from the Baltimore Sun, an initiative to limit the horseshoe crab harvest will indirectly boost the red knot population by providing more crab eggs for the birds to feast on as they pass through Chesapeake Bay and along the coast of Maryland.

Migrating birds need large food supplies along their migration routes in order to successfully reach their summer breeding grounds. Backyard birders can help birds travel by filling their feeders with seeds such as nyger and black oil sunflower, both of which have high oil contents and provide large energy boosts to feeding birds.

What migrating birds visit your backyard? Share your stories in the comments!

Red Knot
Photo © Vincent P. Lucas