As February left I heard the calls of the killdeer as they arrive to plot out a territory and nest. These vocal birds are technically shore birds, although they are found far inland, breeding from Alaska to Newfoundland and south. Their call is a high pitched killdee(r), the reason for their common name. Scientifically known as Charadrius vociferus, which means "Talkative Plover", there are 62 species of plovers, split by lowland and upland. The killdeer is closely related to the American woodcock and the numerous sandpipers, wonderful birds to watch as they poke for food with their thin bills and long legs.
The killdeer is particularly entertaining as they feign a broken wing whenever an intruder comes too near the nest. This instinctive act is designed to draw attention to the hurt bird, assuming you have come to hunt and this compromised bird might make the perfect meal. The act will sometimes go a step further and pretend to sit on a nest that isn't there, all to lure you away from the actual spartan nest and eggs. As ground nesters they are under constant danger, and I have always wondered how they survive. Some of their survival actually depends on their lack of nesting material, literally just a few twigs to keep the eggs from rolling, and eggs that are speckled to match surrounding rocks.
The job of raising the young is shared by both parents and a couple may raise 2 clutches a year. Each clutch will contain 3 to 6 eggs, and like other ground nesters, the eggs will not begin to develop until they feel the warmth of the parent killdeer, subsequently hatching at the same time which takes 24 to 28 days. The eggs are sizable which is typical for precocial birds, which translates to "ripened beforehand", the young hatch with their eyes open, ready to run. Newly hatched killdeer are equivalent to a two week old altricial baby bird, those we may be more familiar with that hatch with eyes shut and no feathers. Altricial bird eggs are smaller and the nests are in trees and shrubs to help avoid capture.
Newly hatched killdeer are capable of standing and are ready to leave the nest immediately. Although they will wobble a bit on their long legs, they are marvels in design. The average territory per killdeer is one acre and they clearly benefit from man-made habitats, raising their young in ballfields, unpaved roads, and rooftops. In the days of my nursery we had them nest in 1 gallon potted plants!
Virginia is at the verge of the killdeers winter distribution which means they can be found here year-round. Many of the winter residents will move further north as summer populations return. I usually hear the males in early February as they reclaim a territory. Beneficial as their primary diet consists of weevils, grasshoppers, beetles, ticks, mosquitos, flies, and other noxious insects. Threats of habitat loss, predation, and loss of insects to feed their young are challenges and the killdeer is in decline but currently holding its own.
I love hearing them in the fields and keep my distance so they are not forced to undertake the ritual act of pity.
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