ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Killdeer

Killdeer

killdeer

Shorebirds are a large order of birds adapted for a life on or near the water. Some are wading birds, others are swimmers; some are long-legged, others have fully webbed toes. Most have long, pointed wings and are white and brown or gray. They are highly migratory with some species taveling up to 20,000 miles per year. The group includes the plovers, sandpipers, phalaropes, gulls, and terns.

Listen

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

At-a-Glance

• Peak Breeding Activity: early spring

• Incubation: 24-28 days

• Clutch Size: 2-6 eggs

• Young Fledge: 25 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: insects

Description
The killdeer is brown above with a white breast and has two distinct black bands, one encircling the neck and the other on the upper chest. In flight, the tail is an orange-brown color and the long white wing-stripe, characteristic of many shorebirds, is present.

Habitat and Habits
This plover is a common summer resident. It has somewhat deserted the beaches and mudflats and is more at home in a meadow or along a gravel lane. It is named for its call, a kill-deer that is repeated endlessly.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
The killdeer is best known for feigning injury to lure predators away from the nest. It appears helpless as it slowly hobbles away from the nest or young, hollering loudly as it goes. When the enemy is lured far enough away, the bird miraculously recovers and flies off. The nest is a bare, slight depression containing highly mottled buff-colored eggs.