the killdeer is a large member of the plover family found in the americas. it is named for its shrill, two-syllable call, which is often described as “kill-deer” or “kill-dee.” they are primarily brown and white in appearance, with a brown upper side and white underside, though two large black bands cross the chest, along with black markings around the bill and eyes of the bird. while their nonbreeding habitat is typically coastal wetlands and beach habitats, like other plovers, their breeding grounds are typically any kind of open field with short vegetation, not necessarily near water. (they’re often found creating nests on various sports fields in their range.) the nest itself is typically a simple scrape, often lined with vegetation and white materials like seashells or pebbles. each clutch consists of 4-6 eggs, which both parents work to incubate for 22 to 28 days. the day after hatching, killdeer parents lead their young away from the nest and to a feeding territory - often a space with dense vegetation, where vulnerable young have spaces to hide - where they remain until 31 days after hatching. killdeer parents are also known for using the ‘broken wing display’, in which an adult bird feigns being injured in order to lead a potential predator away from vulnerable young. killdeer have a varied diet; though insects are preferred, they also feed on seeds and other invertebrates; if given the opportunity, they will diversify their diet with what is available, including frogs and dead minnows. the oldest recorded killdeer reached an age of 10 years, 11 months, although on average these birds lead much shorter lives, with a large portion of birds never reaching adulthood due to their vulnerability during the first month of life.
