North American field guide
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
Identification
Field notes
23-28 cm (9-11") Very common and widespread. Mudflats, lakes, suburban or rural open ground with short grass or gravel; often found far from water.
Robin-sized plover with dark brown upperparts, white underparts. Only plover with two dark breast-bands or neck-rings. White from throat encircles neck; white forehead; black bill.
Feigns injury near nest to distract intruders.
In flight: shows bright rusty rump, wing bar, long tail.
Song: clear "kill-deah" repeated.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Kildeer Scandal: Bird fakes injury to collect insurance
Credit: Carol WrightWhere it lives
Distribution maps
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Killdeer
1 ruleRule 1 12 criteria · confidence 7
- In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?
- Yes · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Uniform · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Robin-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Sandpiper-like