Have you ever spotted a Killdeer darting across a field and wondered what it eats? Understanding their diet can help you appreciate their role in nature and even attract them to your backyard. Killdeer birds eat insects, worms, spiders, and small crustaceans. The Killdeer bird is known for its distinctive look. It has a slim body with two black bands across its chest. Its feathers are mostly brown and white. The bird has a long tail and long legs which help it run fast.
Killdeer Identification and Habitat
The Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a large plover found throughout the Americas. Killdeers are tall, slender birds about the size of American Robins. The common name of this species comes from its often-heard call. The killdeer has a short, thick, and dark bill, flesh-colored legs, and a red eye ring. Its upperparts are mostly brown with rufous fringes; the head has patches of white and black, and there are two black breast bands. It has a white forehead and a white stripe behind the eye, and its lores and the upper borders to the white forehead are black. The killdeer also has a white collar with a black upper border. The rest of the face is brown. The breast and belly are white, with the exception of two black breast bands. The rump is red, and the tail is mostly brown. In flight, a white wing stripe at the base of the flight feathers is visible. The female's mask and breast bands tend to be browner than those of the male. The juvenile is similar to the adult. The upper parts of the chicks are colored dusky and buff.
Killdeer birds live in many different places. They like open fields, grassy areas, and mudflats. Sometimes, they can be found near water like lakes or rivers. They also live in farmlands and city parks. Killdeer inhabit open areas such as sandbars, mudflats, and grazed fields. They are probably most familiar around towns, where they live on lawns, driveways, athletic fields, parking lots, airports, and golf courses. Generally the vegetation in fields inhabited by Killdeer is no taller than one inch. You can find Killdeer near water, but unlike many other shorebirds, they are also common in dry areas.
Dietary Preferences of Killdeer
Killdeer birds mostly eat insects and small animals. But they also eat some plant matter. This includes seeds and small berries. Sometimes, killdeer birds eat human food waste. They pick up crumbs or scraps near picnic areas or parks. Killdeer eat a diet of mostly insects but occasionally feed on seeds and berries as well. Killdeer are carnivores (insectivores) and feed primarily on insects (especially beetles and flies), in addition to millipedes, worms, snails, spiders, and some seeds.
Killdeer birds eat many types of insects and bugs. They like to find food on the ground. They also eat small invertebrates, worms, and snails. These provide good nutrients. Most food is found in open fields, near water, or on dirt paths. Invertebrates can make up more than 90 percent of a Killdeer’s diet. These birds love chowing down on everything from beetles and grasshoppers to earthworms and snails. Killdeer feed mainly on ground invertebrates such as earthworms, beetles, grasshoppers, and snails.
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Seasonal Variations in Diet
During spring and summer, killdeer birds mainly eat insects. Their diet includes beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars. These birds also feed on spiders and small snails. The warm weather brings plenty of food. They often forage in fields and near water. In fall and winter, killdeer birds eat more seeds and berries. Insects become scarce, so they switch to plant-based food. They also eat small worms and other invertebrates found in soil. Their diet adapts to the colder season’s limited food supply.
Foraging Behavior and Techniques
Killdeer birds use keen eyesight to spot food on the ground. They often walk or run in short bursts to find insects and small animals. These birds mainly eat insects like beetles, grasshoppers, and ants. They also consume worms, spiders, and small snails. Typically they run a few steps and then pause, then run again, pecking at the ground whenever they spot something edible. May follow farmers plowing fields, to feed on grubs turned up by the plow.
Killdeer often forage (or hunt for food) in the daytime, but may also hunt at night when it’s safer, especially in the non-breeding season. When on the ground and foraging, they will often start to run or walk, then will pause suddenly and bring their heads upwards flashing their striking throat bands, and then bring their heads back down and start moving again. This behavior is thought to help startle prey so they come to the surface. Killdeers also use a technique called foot stir or foot-trembling. This is when they stand on one foot while shaking or patting the other foot in mud or shallow water. The vibrations created by their foot movements make the hidden prey rise upwards so that they can be seen and caught. Additionally, Killdeer forage in fields and have been known to follow farmers’ plows which help to expose earthworms and grubs. They primarily feed during the day but, in the non-breeding season, when the moon is full or close to full, they forage at night. This is likely because of increased insect abundance and reduced predation during the night. Killdeer find their food using visual cues. An example of this is "foot-trembling", where the bird stands on one foot, shaking the other in shallow water for about five seconds, pecking at any prey stirred up. When feeding in fields, they sometimes follow plows to take earthworms disturbed to the surface.
The Killdeer's Role in Pest Control and Seed Dispersal
Killdeer birds eat insects, worms, and small invertebrates that help control pest populations. Killdeer birds help control pests. They eat insects like beetles and ants. This keeps farms and gardens healthy. Farmers like killdeer for this reason. The birds reduce the need for chemicals. Natural pest control is safer for the environment. Killdeer are beneficial because they control insects that are considered garden and crop pests such as grasshoppers.
Killdeer birds also spread seeds. They eat berries and fruits. The seeds travel in their droppings. This helps new plants grow in different places. More plants mean more homes for animals. The ecosystem stays balanced and healthy.
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Tips for Attracting Killdeer
Offer food near open fields. They like seeds, but insects are better. Give them small bits, not big chunks. Always keep water nearby for them to drink. Clean the area to avoid pests. Use natural foods, not processed ones. Never give killdeer birds bread or junk food. These foods can harm them. Avoid salty or sugary snacks. Stay away from processed foods. No chocolate or avocado, they are toxic. Keep pets away from feeding areas. Don’t use pesticides nearby. This can poison their food.
Killdeer Nesting and Parental Care
Killdeer breed in the US (including southeastern Alaska), southern Canada, and Mexico, with less widespread grounds further south, to Panama. These birds are resident in the southern half of their breeding range, found throughout the year in most of the contiguous United States. Some northern populations are migratory and winter south to Central America, the West Indies, Colombia, Ecuador, and islands off Venezuela. Killdeer inhabit coastal wetlands, beach habitats, and coastal fields. Their breeding grounds are generally open fields with short vegetation. Killdeer usually spend their time singly or in pairs and outside of the breeding season, they may sometimes gather in loose flocks. Killdeer are monogamous and form pairs on their breeding grounds right after arriving. The breeding season (starting with egg-laying) occurs from mid-March to August, with later timing of egg-laying in the northern portion of the range. In Puerto Rico, and possibly in other Caribbean islands, breeding occurs year-round. Both the male and the female advertise in flight with loud "killdeer" calls. The male also advertises by calling from a high spot, scraping out a dummy nest, and with killdeer flights, where it flies with slow wingbeats across its territory. The birds also perform chases on the ground as well as in flight. Both are forms of territorial defense. Killdeer nest in open fields or other flat areas with short vegetation, such as agricultural fields and meadows. Nests are also sometimes located on rooftops. The nest itself is a shallow depression or scrape in the ground, fringed by some stones and blades of grass. When nesting on rooftops, killdeer may choose a flat roof, or build a nest of raised gravel, sometimes lined with white pebbles or pieces of seashells. The female lays a clutch of 4-7 eggs that are buff to beige in color, with brown markings and black speckles. Up to five replacement clutches can be laid, and there are occasionally two broods. Second broods are usually laid in the nesting territory of the first brood. The eggs are incubated for 22 to 28 days by both parents. The chicks hatch precocial, starting to walk within the first days of their life. After they hatch, both parents lead them out of the nest, generally to a feeding territory with dense vegetation under which the chicks can hide when a predator is near. The young fledge when they are 31 days old, and generally move to moister areas in valleys and on the banks of rivers. They may be cared for by their parents for up to 10 days after they fledge, and exceptionally for 81 days after hatching.
Killdeer nest sites are well camouflaged. Because their egg shells have a speckled design that makes them resemble pebbles, their eggs blend well into the environment. Their nests are simple depressions in the ground about 3-3.5 inches across and are often made in gravel parking lots, on bare soil, lawns, parks, short grass fields, along river edges, and on farmland that has short vegetation due to cattle grazing. They may place their nests in open dry areas but will also require shallow water or mudflats where their young can forage. Killdeers occasionally nest on gravel rooftops making it difficult for the fledglings to descend to the ground to find food. One interesting fact is that after laying their eggs, Killdeers will frequently add light-colored items to their nests, such as white stones or sea shells, along with grass, twigs, and/or trash.
Incubation (or sitting on the eggs to keep them warm) is done by both parents for 22-28 days. In very hot climates, adults will sometimes shade the eggs with their bodies. Because Killdeers nest on the ground, they use several tactics to try to keep their eggs safe. They often vocalize loudly at predators and turn to expose their orange rump feathers as a warning. Adult Killdeer also pretend to be injured in order to lure predators away from the nest. Called “the broken-wing distraction display,” they will drag their bodies and wings on the ground while hopping on one leg. This distraction display can be dangerous for Killdeers, but they are usually able to fly away before a predator gets too close. In addition, when it appears that a large animal could crush the eggs in its path, an adult Killdeer will fluff up their feathers, fan its tail over its head, and then run towards the threat while loudly vocalizing. Their goal is to startle the animal so that it changes its direction, avoiding the nest. One more method Killdeers use is to have several false nest sites. They will go to the false sites if predators come around. The predators eventually tire of examining empty nests and will leave the area!
Killdeer hatchlings hatch with eyes open and a full cover of downy feathers. Soon after their feathers dry, their parents lead them to an area of dense vegetation with cover so they can look safely for food. The hatchlings hunt and feed for themselves. However, both parents watch over and protect them. If the parents sound an alarm call, the chicks instinctively flatten themselves on the ground and remain motionless.
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Conservation Status
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the killdeer is 1,000,000 individuals. Killdeer populations declined by an estimated 0.57% per year, for a cumulative decline of about 26% between 1966 and 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population at 2.3 million and rates them 10 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a species of relatively low conservation concern. The Killdeer is one of the most successful of all shorebirds because of its fondness for human-modified habitats and its willingness to nest close to people.