Killdeer are common plovers seen in open areas of neighborhoods, parks, beaches, and sometimes on gravel rooftops. They feed on insects, worms, and other small creatures and are with us year round. Nests are usually on the ground and are a scrape that they fill with light colored rocks and debris picked up and merely tossed over their shoulder each time they leave the nest. Their name comes from their loud, familiar call “Killdee! Killdee!”
Both parents take part in incubating eggs for about a month before they hatch, then shepherd the chicks to feeding areas, but they do not feed the young. They warn chicks of approach of danger and use a broken wing display to attempt to lead predators away from their nest or chicks. Both adults and young have bold black markings on an otherwise camouflaged plumage. The black markings disrupt the outline of the birds making them less conspicuous to the casual observer. The impact of the disruption can be increased by raising or lowering the neck as the bird becomes more or less concerned.
With summer heat and Killdeer preference for open habitats, the Killdeer’s nesting often means keeping eggs cooler rather than warmer. At first they stand over them to shade them, but as temperatures increase, a Killdeer will fly to the nearest water, soak its belly feathers, and fly back to rub or drip water onto the eggs. This “belly-soaking” behavior is also seen in some other nesting shorebirds.