Kildeer make noisy return to Woodland Dunes
April 1, 2001

The killdeer are back.. First they were heard, their familiar "kildee" sounding across an open field. Then they were seen. A small flock, flying rapidly and low, landed. On the ground the double-strand black necklace on the white breast easily identified them.

Killdeer are probably the most widely distributed and well-known of the shorebirds. They are members of the Plover family. The scientific name of the killdeer is Charadrius vociferous, alluding to its noisy calls.

A noticeable characteristic, on the ground, is its rather nervous habit of running a short distance rapidly on their long yellow legs, and then stopping briefly to look and listen and then hasten on again.

Although the birds may feed in groups, they soon pair off and establish a territory. Unlike other members of their tribe, that frequent shore lands, the killdeer is an upland bird and is at home in any open country. Farmlands, golf courses and airports are favorite haunts.

Courtship antics have been observed and reported. The most notable ones are those that take place in the air when both birds soar high into the sky followed by a rapid descent back to earth. Witnessed ground displays are equally spectacular.

The killdeer nests in the open, generally where the birds can get an extended view. The eggs are never hidden in the grass but are placed in slight depressions on the bare ground or on short grass turf. Graveled roadsides are favorite places to nest as well. A few bits of material may be placed randomly, but there appears to be no attempt at making a nest.

The usual four blotched and spotted eggs blend in with their surroundings. They are hard to see even though the actions of the parent birds indicate they are near. The "injured bird" act of the killdeer has been described as follows: The parent birds flutter in front of an intruder, away from the nest. One wing is extended over the back, the other beats wildly in the dust, tail feathers are spread and the bird lies flat on the ground, only to run off, with one wing slightly dragging when the "visitor" leaves.

After about 28 days of incubation, the eggs hatch into precocial youngsters. As soon as the moisture has dried from their down, the young are on their feet and leave the nest. They are mere bits of pinkish-buff fluff with a downy tail and long "toothpick" legs that can swiftly carry them to cover. They are almost immediately able to secure their own food. Three or four weeks after hatching they are capable of taking to the air.

The food of killdeer consists of mostly insects, making them a valuable asset to agriculturalists.

At one point in time the birds were killed in numbers almost to the point of extinction. Today they are a protected species, but there is increasing concern that lack of suitable habitat is causing a population decline. Practices, like mowing gravely roadsides where the birds often nest should be discontinued until the young have fledged.

An enlightened populace will assure that the welcome call of the killdeer will continue to announce the end of winter.