Killdeer
- Anne Longman
- Jun 2
- 2 min read
Week of 06.02.25
Meet the killdeer, a type of plover commonly found across the United States. They are brown with distinct white and black markings and a red eye ring. Killdeers enjoy wetlands, fields, and grassy areas, but have adapted to urban life easily. They are vocal birds, with a high pitched cry that is used to ward predators away from their nests. This vocalization is also the source of their namesake, with bird experts describing their call to sound like the phrase "kill-deer".
Have you have head a bird yelling at you, only to turn around and see a killdeer nesting in a gravel parking lot? As urban areas continue to develop, these birds find ways to make use them, sometimes to their own detriment. They will make small depressions in gravel, and nest in areas with high human traffic. These areas include parking lots, playgrounds, gravel rooftops, and outdoor sports arenas. This poses obvious threats to the bird's safety, with both increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Some birds that utilize gravel rooftops as nesting sites unfortunately become trapped when their chicks are ready to fledge, but cannot yet sustain flight. If you see a killdeer nesting in an urban area, please leave it be!
Sometimes, killdeer will lure predators away from their nest by pretending to have a broken wing. This ritual, called the "broken wing display" entices hungry predators to go after the adult, instead of the chicks, only to later reveal their perfectly healthy state. You can read more about the broken wing display from the Audubon Society here.
Like most members of the plover family, killdeers have a distinct walk. Their long legs move at great speeds to propel them across the ground. They have large feet and thin legs that bend at the midpoint.
Did you know? Most bird legs, like the killdeer's, seemingly bend "backwards" or opposite of a human's. Their knees actually bend the same direction as humans do, and the visible bend in their leg is their ankle!
Killdeers are also good swimmers! Although they lack webbed toes, they can still swim with proficiency. In addition to to their other interesting behaviors, killdeers employ a method called "foot trembling" to stir up food. They shake their feet in muddy water, stirring up sediment, and with it, prey. This practice is common among a variety of shorebirds. Their diet mainly consists of insects, larvae, snails, and crayfish.
Keep your eyes out for these incredible birds as they nest this spring. If you're lucky, you may see some chicks!
Have a great week!
----------------------------------------------------------Â
Sources:
Art by Anne Longman