Killdeer

THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 28

They are part of the plover family.

The bird is given its unusual name from the sound it makes. A loud and far-carrying kill-deer is called out often in flight and is common even after dark.

Although, this species is commonly seen on grassy areas such as, golf course and front gardens, they are in fact very good swimmers. Even chicks can swim across a small stream!

Killdeer are great actors as it goes, they perform a “broken-wing” act to lead predators away from a nest, but this doesn’t keep cows or horses from stepping on eggs.

To guard against large hoofed animals, the Killdeer uses a quite different display, fluffing itself up, displaying its tail over its head, and running at the beast to attempt to make it change its path

Killdeer feed mostly on invertebrates like, earthworms, snails, grasshoppers, beetles and aquatic insect larvae. They have been seen following farming plows to pull up any unearthed worms

This species has even been seen tackling down frogs and eating dead minnows!