Killdeer

bird · clever trick · plover · Americas

Shrill two-syllable call. The killdeer got its name from its loud, distinctive call that sounds like "kill deer," which people can hear from far away.

Striking pattern. This large plover has brown upperwings, a white and black head, and two bold black bands crossing its breast, making it easy to spot.

Broken wing trick. When a predator gets near its nest or babies, the killdeer will flop on the ground and drag its wing like it's injured, fooling the predator into chasing it away from the chicks.

Found in the Americas. Killdeer live from southeastern Alaska and Canada all the way down to South America, and some stay in the same place year-round while others migrate thousands of miles.

Simple nesters. Unlike many birds, killdeer don't build fancy nests but simply lay their speckled eggs on the ground in open areas like fields or gravel patches.