Killdeer
The killdeer is a medium-sized bird native to the Americas, recognized for its distinctive appearance and vocalizations. Measuring between eight to 11 inches in length, it features a thin black bill, pinkish legs, and a notable rufous patch on its rump. The killdeer is often found in open fields, riverbanks, and coastal areas, where it forages for a diet primarily consisting of insects, crustaceans, and some plant seeds. Notably, killdeer chicks are camouflaged to blend in with their surroundings, allowing them to leave the nest shortly after hatching.
During the mating season, which spans from March to August, killdeer create nests in shallow depressions lined with natural materials. The female lays four to six eggs, which she incubates for approximately 22 to 28 days. The young are capable of flight around 31 days after hatching. While killdeer face predation from various animals, including birds of prey and mammals, they are not considered threatened and typically have a lifespan of three to five years, with some living up to a decade. Their distinctive call, reminiscent of their name, adds to their charm, making them a familiar presence in their habitats.
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Killdeer
The killdeer is a bird native to the Americas. The feathering of the killdeer chicks blends with their surroundings and enables the tiny birds to leave the nest almost directly after hatching.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Charadrius
Species: Vociferus
Growing to a body length of eight to 11 inches (20 to 28 centimeters), the killdeer is slightly larger than a robin. The killdeer has a thin, black bill, pinkish legs and feet, and a bright rufous, or brownish red, patch on its rump. This patch extends mid-way down the bird's tail, which has white edges and a dark tip. In the air, a white streak is noticeable, running from the inner edge of the wing to its tips. The feathering of the immature, or young, bird is brown above.
The diet of the killdeer consists, to a large degree, of insects, such as beetles and grasshoppers. The killdeer also consumes crustaceans, such as crabs, as well as worms, mollusks, and spiders. Seeds are also eaten but normally make up a small percentage of the bird's diet. Many animals prey upon killdeer, including birds of prey, snakes, cats, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and skunks.
The habitat of the killdeer is the open fields, lawns, riverbanks, seacoasts, and land that has been irrigated, or that which has been flooded or sprayed with water. Most killdeer do not migrate from their home as the seasons change. Those which do, migrate in the fall and return early the following spring.
The mating season for the killdeer begins in the early spring and lasts from March through August. During the mating season the killdeer makes its nest in a shallow hole, or depression, in the ground. The hole is lined with stones, wood chips, and stalks. After mating, the female lays four to six eggs in the nest. Studies have shown that the female may even lay her eggs in gravel beds and on flat rooftops. The eggs are yellowish buff, or brownish yellow, with an occasional covering of black and dark brown spots. The female incubates, or warms, her eggs with her bottom feathers for a period of 22 to 28 days. The age at which a newborn is able to fly is around 31 days.
Killdeer generally live between three and five years, although some have lived up to 10 years. They are not a threatened species.
The voice of the killdeer consists of a rather loud, repetition of "kill-deer, kill-deer."
Bibliography
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Killdeer Identification.” All About Birds, 2024, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Killdeer/id. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Polan, Jason. “Killdeer - Audubon Field Guide.” National Audubon Society, 2024, www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/killdeer. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.