Killdeer Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
Killdeer Tracks
Killdeer chicks one day old. Photo by Pete Mills, BC, Canada. Thanks, Pete! According to Pete, these chicks were up and running around after the parents the next day. |
A familiar shorebird found most everywhere in the U.S. This robin-sized bird has two black bands on its throat. Its body is light brown with white below. It prefers to inhabit open areas and is somewhat abundant. Killdeer nest on the ground in a nest lined with grass. Adults protect their nests by feigning injury when a predator approaches. The parent tries to lure away the predator by dragging its wing along the ground and hobbling away from the nest site. When the danger passes, the bird flies off. The call sounds like: "kill-DEEE." |
Tracks show three toes facing forward and one back. They are small, but abundant along water’s edge in many places. Sometimes the tiny toe that faces backward does not leave an imprint in the trail. The penny used for scale here is 3/4 inch in diameter. The line running through the middle of the photo is a worm track. |
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Killdeer scat found with its tracks. The silty mud along rivers is a good place to find the tracks of these birds. |
| The next three photos show young killdeer birds who were found near a river. There was a group that included four juvenile birds. They were able to fly, but reluctant to do so. |
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Can you see the killdeer camouflaged on this rock?
Find posters, greeting cards, postage stamps and more in my new store.
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Now available: "Animals Don't Cover
Their Tracks - An Introduction to Animal Tracking" on CD! (Version 3.0)
New drawings, more species, more photos, more extensive sections on tracking
humans, more detailed directions for plaster casting, mystery tracks section,
tracking stories section, and more. The CD features over 100 species, including
special bonus sections with the tracks of some African and Australian
animals. A large section on tracking lost people for search and rescue is
included, with over four pages of photos showing the details of tracks and
signs people leave. Easy to use format. This web site is limited
by bandwidth, but the CD-ROM is not. The CD is available in my online store at:
www.dirt-time.com
Works with Mac or PC. Happy tracking!!
What else can you find in the nature store? Beartracker's animal tracks coloring book, T-shirts, sweatshirts, journals, book bags, toddler and infant apparel, mouse pads, posters, postcards, coffee mugs, travel mugs, clocks, Frisbees, bumper stickers, hats, stickers, and many more items. All with tracks or paw prints, or nature scenes. Custom products are available. If you don't see the track you want on the product you want, email me and I can probably create it. Proceeds from all sales go to pay the monthly fees for this web site. You can help support this site as well as get great tracking products! Thank you! |
| Find other tracking products: www.zazzle.com/tracker8459* |
| Also visit these fine
stores for more products of interest: NDN Pride shop - For Indian Pride items for all tribes. Custom items available on request. ASL Signs of Love - For anyone who uses or is learning ASL, American Sign Language. Custom name items and more are available here. Sales from all stores give commissions to Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den, which helps keep this site online as a free service. We are celebrating ten years online this year! |
Got a killdeer story? E-mail me and tell me about it.
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All counters reset in October 2000.
Copyright © 1997-2008. Text, photos, and drawings by Kim A.
Cabrera - Desert
Moon Design
Killdeer chicks photo by Pete Mills.
Page updated: July 1, 2008.
