KILLDEER

Photographed in Sarasota, February 2025

  1356                             KILLDEER                         Charadrius vociferus

USA                     1

The killdeer is a large plover found in the Americas. It gets its name from its shrill, two-syllable call, which is often heard.  Three subspecies are described. 

The nonbreeding habitat of the killdeer includes coastal wetlands, beach habitats, and coastal fields. Its breeding grounds are generally open fields with short vegetation (but locations such as rooftops are sometimes used); although it is a shorebird, it does not necessarily nest close to water.