Bird of the Week: Killdeer
Wednesday April 22, 2009
This week’s featured bird, the killdeer, was one of the first birds I ever identified and it has remained a favorite of mine ever since. Bold coloration, distinct calls and perky, nervous behavior are characteristic of this species, but killdeers are also known for the cunning “fake injuries” they use to lure predators away from their nests. Now is the perfect time to spot that diversion, as killdeers are busy protecting their spring nests near lakes, rivers and open fields.What killdeer behaviors have you observed? Share your experiences in the comments!
Killdeer
Photo © Clinton & Charles Robertson
Comments
I had been lucky enough to see/discover a killdeer nest in a small rocky area at a wharehouse in Billerica.The killdeer did not like that I discovered the nest and moved the eggs to another location.I left them alone and the babies were a delight to watch.
I have a Killdeer nest in our yard. Any ideas about how not to kill them next time we mow the yard? We can avoid them now as they are eggs but once they hatch, wont they be running around the yard for a couple weeks until they can fly?
Our home is in Geogetown Kentucky in case you are curious of the location.
Any advice?
Thanks
Dianen
Me Too! Please help, this beautiful bird has laid her eggs in my yard, and I do not want them to get run over by the lawn mower or attacked by dogs. Can someone give me a suggestion as to how to move the nest. I tried one time and she came back looking for them and couldn’t find them they were only a few feet away in some straw. Someone please help!
Can I put a pipe of some kind for the Killdeers to nest in? I live 8 miles from G-town,Ky.
Unfortunately, killdeers have the habit of building their nests in the open so they have good visibility to be on the alert for predators (they won’t normally or happily nest in a pipe or sheltered area). I wouldn’t recommend trying to move the nest — you could disrupt and injure the eggs or spook the nervous parents enough to abandon the nest.
The good news is that the young birds will pick up the nervous habits of their parents very, very quickly and they will likely keep out of the way of the lawn mower. The best way to handle a nearby nest is to just be very careful when mowing near it, and try to avoid mowing there as much as possible. The young birds will start flying in about three weeks, so you don’t have to worry about them for long.
Thanks for sharing!
Just today I noticed two Killdeers in a shopping center parking lot. They have apparently nested at the empty end (no cars) in a long 5-foot wide strip of dirt/rock/mulch bordered by curb. It was near dark when I saw them on the ground. When I came out of the store I drove over but didn’t see them, so I got out of the car assuming they would appear to defend their nests. They did not. Do the birds assume the eggs are safe under cover of darkness? And, if so, where do the adult birds sleep/overnight?
I grew up in rural Minnesota. I loved waking up to the sounds of birds. I recall, and I am not sure if I have this correct, the first bird song was of the meadowlark, then the morning doves and finally the killdeer…..then I knew it was time to get up.
There is a nest behind my business. May 9 there were 2 eggs, May 10 there were 3. Today there are only 2 again and the adult birds are gone. Any idea what happened? Sureley one egg didn’t hatch that fast. Why would mom and dad just leave the other eggs?
We just rescued a baby killdeer out of a storm water drain! We weren’t sure if they were territorial to the point that some of the other killdeer parents would kill it (I ‘ve seen mockingbirds do this!). We left him in the vicinity where we found him (safely away from the drain and the road) and we hope that his parents will find him. Any advice?
This morning on the way to work I saw what I thought were sandpipers running around the dirt part of my driveway… Three baby Killdeer!
When I got back this afternoon they were still there, generally being adorable as possible. It’s been so nice to learn more about these birds and I feel so lucky they’re growing up in my yard!
http://www.birdwatching.com/stories/killdeer.html was really helpful to me.
I live in Western Oregon. Are Killdeer endandered or scarce? Something destroyed a nest near my yard after about a week of the eggs being laid. Bummed me out because I had been taking pictures of it everyday!
I had discovered a bird in my back yard about a week ago. It kept chirping loudly and would run away as if its wing was messed up and he couldn’t fly. Then later I discovered the 4 eggs lying in the middle of my back yard. I asked around to learn what type bird and discovered the cute killdeer. From my calculations, the eggs should hatch sometime end of June; then I hope to have the pleasure of seeing the cute baby birds. I have to be very careful not to mow over the eggs and it’s leaving an area where my grass will be higher. This is only difficult because I have my house up for sale, but we’ll have to explain the unkempt portion of the yard to any potential house viewers. I’m glad to get to experience this and will begin taking photos.
A few years back, we had a stone driveway and a Killdeer made their nest in the middle of the drive way. I put up an orange cone at each end (approx 10′ from the nest on each side) and we drove around it. It was the most amazing couple weeks.
This is more of a question on Killdeer hatching. I am not sure where to find the answer. We live in Tennessee and have a lot of rocks in the yard and a gravel drive. Killdeers love us. we have several around all the time. Last year they laid their eggs on the edge of the drive and we put reflectors around them to keep from hitting them. This year they built in our back yard. We put more rocks around the nest and she continued laying in the same nest and has been protecting it. There were 4 or 5 eggs in there this weekend but now everything is gone. We noticed that with those in the driveway last year too. I read where the chicks can run away the first day but what happened to the egg shells? We never know if the birds discard them or if something ate them. Any insight? Thanks Gary
These birds though beautiful, are a real pain in the but as far as noise. Do they ever sleep? 2 or 3 in the morning you can hear them everywhere….
i love the killdeer!!!!!!!!!!!