Charadrius vociferus
The Killdeer, *Charadrius vociferus*, is an iconic and highly recognizable shorebird, despite its preference for terrestrial, open habitats far from traditional shores. Averaging 23-28 cm (9-11 inches) in length with a wingspan of 46-48 cm (18-19 inches) and weighing 75-120 grams (2.6-4.2 oz), this medium-sized plover sports a distinctive brownish-gray back, a pure white belly, and two prominent black bands across its white breast, a key field mark that differentiates it from most other plove...
Killdeer primarily inhabit open, disturbed areas with short vegetation or bare ground, including agricultural fields, golf courses, parking lots, and gravel roadsides, often near freshwater sources but not necessarily on traditional shorelines.
Their diet consists mainly of a wide variety of invertebrates, including insects (beetles, grasshoppers, fly larvae) and earthworms, primarily obtained by surface foraging and probing shallowly in soft ground.
Killdeer are diurnal, foraging actively during the day and typically roosting on open ground at night, often in loose flocks outside the breeding season. Their foraging strategy involves a characteristic run-stop-peck method, visually scanning for prey before darting forward. During the breeding ...
The Killdeer boasts an expansive range across the Americas, breeding from central and southern Alaska and Canada, south through the entire continental United States, Mexico, and Central America, extending into parts of the Caribbean and northern South America. Its breeding distribution covers nea...
Least Concern
- The Killdeer's common name is an onomatopoeia, directly mimicking its piercing, insistent call. - They are famous for their dramatic 'broken-wing' display, feigning injury to lure predators away from their hidden nests or young. - Despite being classified as shorebirds, Killdeer frequently nest...