Killdeer

A killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a species of plover, a type of shorebird, that is found throughout North and South America. It is known for its loud, distinctive call and its clever broken-wing display to distract predators. 🐦

The killdeer has a slender body with long legs and a rounded head. It is brown on its back and white on its belly, with two prominent black bands across its chest. It has a large, rounded head and large eyes, and a short, stout beak.

Despite being a shorebird, killdeer are often found in open fields, pastures, and parking lots far from water. They are carnivores, with a diet that consists of a variety of insects, worms, and other invertebrates. They hunt by running a few steps and then stopping to scan for prey.

The killdeer's most famous behavior is its broken-wing display. When a predator approaches its nest, the adult will feign injury, calling loudly and dragging a wing as if it were broken, to lure the predator away from the nest. Once the predator is a safe distance away, the bird will suddenly "recover" and fly away.