The killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a large plover found in the Americas. It gets its name from its shrill, two-syllable call, which is often heard. It was described and given its current scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. Three subspecies are described. Its upperparts are mostly brown with rufous fringes, the head has patches of white and black, and two black bands cross the breast. The belly and the rest of the breast are white. The nominate (or originally described) subspecies breeds from southeastern Alaska and southern Canada to Mexico. It is seen year-round in the southern half of its breeding range; the subspecies C. v. ternominatus is resident in the West Indies, and C. v. peruvianus inhabits Peru and surrounding South American countries throughout the year. North American breeders winter from their resident range south to Central America, the West Indies, and the northernmost portions of South America.
The nonbreeding habitat of the killdeer includes coastal wetlands, beach habitats, and coastal fields. Its breeding grounds are generally open fields with short vegetation (but locations such as rooftops are sometimes used); although it is a shorebird, it does not necessarily nest close to water. The nest itself is a scrape lined with vegetation and white material, such as pebbles or seashell fragments. This bird lays a clutch of four to six buff to beige eggs with dark markings. The breeding season (starting with egg-laying) occurs from mid-March to August, with later timing of egg-laying in the northern portion of the range. Both parents incubate the eggs for 22 to 28 days typically. The young stay in the nest until the day after being hatched, when they are led by their parents to a feeding territory (generally with dense vegetation where hiding spots are abundant), where the chicks feed themselves. The young then fledge about 31 days after hatching, and breeding first occurs after one year of age.
The killdeer primarily feeds on insects, although other invertebrates and seeds are eaten. It forages almost exclusively in fields, especially those with short vegetation and with cattle and standing water. It primarily forages during the day, but in the nonbreeding season, when the moon is full or close to full, it forages at night, likely because of increased insect abundance and reduced predation during the night. Predators of the killdeer include various birds and mammals. Its multiple responses to predation range from calling to the "ungulate display", which can be fatal for the performing individual. This bird is classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, because of its large range and population. Its population is declining, but this trend is not severe enough for the killdeer to be considered a vulnerable species. It is protected by the American Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the Canadian Migratory Birds Convention Act.
^BirdLife International (2016). "Charadrius vociferus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22693777A93422319. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22693777A93422319.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
The killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a large plover found in the Americas. It gets its name from its shrill, two-syllable call, which is often heard...
Phoebe Killdeer (born 1977) is an Australian musician and the lead singer of the groups Phoebe Killdeer & the Short Straws and Phoebe Killdeer & the Shift...
The Killdeer Mountains are a mountain range in Dunn County, North Dakota, United States. It consists of two mesas, North Mountain and South Mountain. Much...
The Battle of Killdeer Mountain (also known as the Battle of Tahkahokuty Mountain) took place during Brig. Gen. Alfred Sully's expedition against the Sioux...
USS Killdeer may refer to one of the following United States Navy ships: USS Killdeer (AMc-21), originally the fishing vessel Vindicator; acquired by...
The Killdeer Formation is a geologic formation in North Dakota. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene. Earth sciences portal Paleontology portal...
Thomas Chandler Haliburton 1796 1865 The Clockmaker Phil Hall 1953 poet Killdeer Louis Hamelin 1959 novelist, short stories, literary critic La Rage, Sauvages...
Killdeer Public School District #16, also known as Killdeer Public Schools, is a school district headquartered in Killdeer, North Dakota. Located in Dunn...
Out Lines", a deep house rework of "The Fade Out Line", a song by Phoebe Killdeer & The Short Straws. In September 2014 the Avener released his debut single...
less than 30 days. During preparations for the 2018 festival, a pair of killdeer was found nesting on some cobblestones, which help camouflage the eggs...
Pájaros Eternos in 2012. For her fourth album, she teamed up with Phoebe Killdeer & The Shift to produce The Piano's Playing The Devils Tune, released in...
transferred to the United States Coast Guard and served under the name USCGC Air Killdeer (WAVR 433). Finally sold into mercantile service, as the Cape Pine, she...
semipalmated, little ringed, long-billed),or double or triple bands (killdeer, three-banded, Forbes'). They have relatively short bills and feed mainly...
Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 1891 and subsequently identified as a flock of killdeer. The story, "among the most fantastic of all UFO reports," contributed...
by Australian band Phoebe Killdeer & the Short Straws from their 2011 album Innerquake. It was written by Phoebe Killdeer, composed by Cédric Le Roux...
good drainage, such as the ravines and valley near the Pembina Gorge and Killdeer Mountains, the Turtle Mountains, the hills around Devils Lake, in the dunes...
nest-building wasps and hornets, dragonflies, and some birds, including the killdeer. Deer flies are difficult to control because insecticides cannot be applied...
Global Information
