Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) are medium-sized shorebirds belonging to the plover family. They are common birds found throughout North America and known for their distinct appearance and loud, piercing calls. Killdeer get their name from their recognizable “kill-deer” call which they use to vocally defend their territory. These shorebirds have brown backs, white undersides, black bands around their necks and chests, and signature orange rumps. But beyond their distinctive look and noisy behavior, one thing people often wonder about killdeer is whether they are friendly birds or not. In this article, we will explore killdeer behavior and personality to help answer the question: are killdeer birds friendly?
Killdeer Natural History
To understand whether killdeer are friendly, it helps to first look at some key aspects of their natural history:
Habitat and Range
Killdeer are widespread shorebirds found throughout most of North America. Their breeding habitat ranges all across the U.S. and Canada except for the northernmost regions. Killdeer live in open areas with short vegetation near sources of water. This includes shorelines, wetlands, pastures, agricultural fields, golf courses, and even gravel roads or parking lots. During migration and winter periods, their range expands further south to regions like Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. So killdeer inhabit a diversity of temperate, subtropical, and tropical ecosystems throughout the year.
Nesting and Reproduction
Killdeer do not build standard enclosed nests. Instead, the female lays a clutch of 3-6 eggs in a shallow scrape on the bare ground. Killdeer often nest in somewhat odd or unexpected spots like gravel roads, rooftops, athletic fields, or even shopping mall parking lots! Both parents incubate the eggs for 22-28 days before they hatch. Killdeer chicks are precocial, meaning they leave the nest within 1 day and are able to feed themselves right away. Parents may use distraction displays, injury feigning, or loud calls to protect nests or young from predators or intruders. Killdeer typically have two broods per breeding season.
Diet and Foraging
Killdeer primarily eat insects, larvae, worms, small mollusks, and other small invertebrates. They forage for food in shallow waters, wet mud, or moist grassy areas by pecking at the ground. Their bills allow them to probe into soil and pull food from the surface. Killdeer may also forage for seeds or grains in agricultural fields or eat some plant material opportunistically. They often nest and forage in close proximity to human structures like buildings, roads, or golf courses.
Behavior and Personality
Killdeer are generally skittish around humans but bold in defending their territory and offspring. They frequently use distraction displays like injury feigning or loud warning calls to protect their nests and young. Killdeer may also dive bomb, chase, or peck at intruders that get too close. So while they often live near human activity, they can be quite territorial and defensive during breeding season. Outside of nesting periods, killdeer tend to be more solitary or seen in pairs rather than large flocks. They spend a lot of time foraging actively for food while wading in shallow waters or probing soil with their bills. Overall, killdeer exhibit a combination of shy, nervous, and fiercely defensive behaviors typical of many shorebird species.
Interactions with Humans
To better understand if killdeer are friendly, it’s useful to look at how they commonly interact with people:
Nesting Near Humans
One of the most well-known traits of killdeer is their tendency to nest in close proximity to human landscapes like roads, parking lots, athletic fields, golf courses, rooftops, etc. This means they often lay eggs and raise young very near areas with heavy human foot traffic and activity. The birds seem to have adapted to these busy environments. However, their defensive instincts still kick in when they have a nest or chicks to protect.
Responding to Perceived Threats
Killdeer fiercely defend their nesting and foraging areas using loud alarm calls and distraction displays. The killdeer’s famous “broken wing act” involves feigning injury by dragging wings and tail to lure potential predators or intruders away from the nest. They may also dive bomb nearby animals or humans who get too close. So even if killdeer nest near people, they still perceive humans as threats when defending territory.
Habituation to Human Presence
In areas where they are frequently exposed to human activity like parks, beaches, or backyards, individual killdeer can become quite habituated and tolerant of people. Some may only call or move away if approached very closely. But they still tend to be more wary compared to species like ducks, doves, or songbirds often fed by people. Their skittishness varies individually based on location and human exposure during nesting season.
Reliance on Human Landscapes
While adapted to natural habitats, killdeer also rely heavily on human-created environments. They frequently nest and feed on golf courses, athletic fields, agricultural lands, school campuses, etc. Plowing and landscape irrigation provide ideal foraging conditions. And graveled rooftops or parking lots offer open, sparse vegetation for nesting sites. So killdeer have learned to take advantage of human presence to meet many of their habitat needs.
Factors That Influence Killdeer Behavior Around Humans
Killdeer’s tendencies to be friendly, aggressive, tolerant, or fearful of humans depend on several factors:
Nesting Stage
Killdeer become most defensive and aggressive during incubation and brooding when they perceive humans as threats to eggs or young. Parents will attack, chase, dive bomb, use alarm calls, or distraction displays to protect the nest site. They are more approachable and less likely to react strongly before nesting or after chicks can fly.
Location and Habituation Level
In areas with constant human activity like city parks or golf courses, individual killdeer can become quite habituated and tolerant of people being nearby. But they remain more skittish and nervous in less developed natural areas with less frequent human exposure and interaction.
Time of Year
Killdeer are most aggressive and reactive during breeding season which runs from March to August, peaking April-June. They are less territorial and easier to approach during fall and winter migration away from nesting areas.
Distance and Behavior of Humans
Killdeer may ignore passive humans who keep 30+ feet away. But individuals who approach nests too closely or rapidly, chase birds, allow dogs to harass them, or visit nesting areas frequently often elicit loud alarm calls and distraction displays. Clearly aggressive human behavior also increases killdeers’ territorial responses.
Availability of Food, Water, and Shelter
When essential resources are limited, killdeer become more defensive of their optimal nesting or foraging sites, perceiving encroaching humans as heightened competition or threats. But they can be less reactive around humans when food, water, and nesting grounds are plentiful.
Examples of Killdeer Interacting with People
Looking at real world examples can further demonstrate how killdeer respond to humans in different contexts:
Territorial Parents in a Parking Lot
Killdeer regularly nest in parking lots which seem to provide ideal sparse vegetation and gravel substrates. However, when people attempt to walk near or access cars parked close to nests, killdeer parents often react with loud alarm calls and dive bombing swoops at the intruding humans. They perceive a severe threat even in typically busy parking areas.
Habituated Birds on a Golf Course
Some killdeer develop tolerance to human activity on golf courses where they nest and forage in the manicured grassy areas and ponds. These individuals only call or walk away when golfers or landscapers come very close. But they may still dive bomb if someone touches or threatens a nest or chicks. Overall they exhibit moderate habituation and reduced fear around the constant human presence.
Wary Parents Near a Beach
Killdeer defend their shallow scraped nests near beaches from the perceived danger of humans and pets who frequently use these recreational areas. They sound alarms when beachgoers wander close to nesting zones in the sand or grass. Dogs off leash often elicit killdeers’ distraction displays as they represent a high risk to eggs or chicks when allowed to roam and harass birds.
Foraging Alongside Cattle in a Pasture
In open grasslands and pastures, killdeer are often seen mingling and foraging in close proximity to livestock like cattle, horses, or sheep. These large grazing animals do not seem to pose imminent threats to killdeer, so the birds ignore their presence while searching the pasture for insects and larvae stirred up by the livestock’s movement through the fields.
Patrolled Campus Nesting Area
Some college campuses install signage and barriers around killdeer nesting zones to protect the birds during critical spring breeding season. This prevents students from getting too close and disturbing the nests. The parents still vocalize and defend but avoid the perceived need for more aggressive distraction displays thanks to the patrolled buffer areas.
Conclusion
In summary, killdeer exhibit a range of behaviors in response to human presence based on context. Their overall shyness and skittishness combined with fierce defense of territory and young during nesting season means killdeer can’t be considered highly friendly or sociable birds. However, they frequently nest and forage in human-altered environments, displaying moderate tolerance of people under the right circumstances. Factors like nesting stage, location, season, human behavior, and resource availability all influence killdeers’ reactions. While adapted to live around humans, they remain nervous, protective birds that prefer to keep their distance most of the time unless habituated in frequent high-traffic areas. With proper caution and respect of space, people can often enjoy killdeer’s interesting presence and behaviors without overly disturbing the birds. However, it’s important to note that aggressive responses are purely defensive instincts important for their survival as a ground-nesting species.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are killdeer aggressive?
Killdeer can be quite aggressive in defending their territory, eggs, and young during breeding season. They frequently use loud warning calls and distraction displays like injury feigning and dive bombing to drive away perceived threats. However, they are not typically aggressive otherwise when not nesting.
Do killdeer attack humans?
Killdeer are known to swoop at, chase after, peck at, or even make contact with humans who approach nesting areas too closely. But these behaviors are meant to distract and lure potential predators away rather than cause real injury or harm. It is simply a fear-based defensive reaction to protect eggs and chicks.
Why do killdeer lay eggs in parking lots?
Killdeer prefer open habitats with sparse vegetation and gravelly or sandy substrates for nesting. So the gravel surfaces, good visibility, and sparse plant growth in parking lots may provide ideal conditions that resemble their natural beach or prairie nesting habitats.
Do killdeer make good pets?
No, killdeer do not make good pets. They are wild shorebirds that thrive living freely in nature. Killdeer have very specific habitat, diet, social, and behavioral needs that would be extremely difficult to meet in captivity. It is illegal and unethical to capture or keep wild killdeer as pets.
Are killdeer endangered?
No, killdeer have a widespread range across North America and a large global population estimated between 1-10 million birds. They are classified as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List with stable population trends. Habitat loss and predation pressure are potential threats, but overall killdeer remain common and abundant shorebirds.
Key Takeaways on Killdeer
- Killdeer are medium-sized North American shorebirds known for loud territorial calls and injury feigning displays.
- They frequently nest and forage near human structures like roads, golf courses, athletic fields, etc.
- Killdeer become highly aggressive and defensive when protecting nests and young.
- They are generally shy and nervous around humans when not breeding.
- Habituation levels vary based on frequency of human exposure.
- Killdeer should not be considered highly friendly, sociable birds due to their skittish nature and territorial behavior.
- With proper distance and caution, killdeer can often be enjoyed without excessive disturbance.