Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Killdeer. Photo:Albert P. Bekker

Often found nesting in open meadows, rocky plains and beaches, the killdeer exhibits a highly adapted behavior to protect its nest. Like many other birds, the killdeer will feign a broken wing, leading an intruder away from its nest by creating a commotion, then miraculously "recover" and fly away. Killdeer lay four speckled eggs in their ground-level nest.

Distribution of Killdeer in Canada