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Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Least Concern (IUCN Red List)Plovers and Lapwings
Killdeer, photographed by Y S

Photo: Y S · Unsplash · Unsplash License (licence)

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Call and song

About the Killdeer

Common, large plover. Slender shape with long wings and tail. Look for two black breast bands, unique among plovers in its range. Often nests near human development: parking lots, school roofs, road edges, and farms, usually on bare gravel. Adults perform broken-wing displays to distract predators from their nests and young. Gathers in larger numbers in migration and winter, often in fields with short grass or barren dirt. Occurs throughout North America; more local along the Pacific coast of northern South America. Can be very vocal; listen for loud namesake “kill-deer” call.

Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 · How these pages are made

Where it has been recorded

Recorded in 56 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.

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