The Habits of Killdeer Birds

Spotting a killdeer does not have to be a difficult endeavor. You'll often hear them before you ever see them. Killdeer make a distinctive, shrill cry that gives the bird its name. These birds are common throughout North America, and by learning about the habits of killdeer birds, you can spot them more readily.

  1. Nesting Habits

    • Killdeer select a nest location through what the Cornell Lab of Ornithology calls the scrape ceremony. During this ritual, the male of the species touches his breast to the ground and then scrapes out a location on the ground underneath him with his feet. The female then replaces the male, and the mating and laying of eggs are likely to follow. Killdeer lay their eggs on the ground, often in parking lots, and scavenge to find pebbles and other materials for nest cover.

    Food Sources

    • Killdeer can be found in a wide variety of habitats and therefore eat a wide variety of material. Primarily, they feast on earthworms, snails, crayfish, grasshoppers and other invertebrates. Depending on their location and the availability of these food sources, killdeer may also eat agricultural seeds and have also been observed chasing frogs.

    Movements and Flight

    • Killdeer are often viewed running on the ground. These birds will typically run for several steps, stop and look around, then run ahead again. Infant killdeer are flightless at first, but they can run as soon as their feathers dry. The birds will take to the air if disturbed. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology says the "flight is rapid, with stiff, intermittent wingbeats." Killdeer are actually a type of shorebird and are proficient swimmers.

    Nest Protection

    • Killdeer may best be recognized for their methods of protecting their nest from perceived predators. When a threat approaches, an adult killdeer will pretend to be vulnerable with a broken wing in an attempt to draw the threat away from the nest. With larger animals, the killdeer will fluff its feathers and charge at an animal such as a cow to try to force it change course away from the nest.