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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Killdeer

 

Awaiting image for this species

 

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

 

• Killdeer
• Charadrius vociferus
• UK: just one record a year
  WI: In 2007 we had 2nd Killdeer in the last 10 years
• Breeds: Bare sandy/gravelly terrain near freshwater (gravel-pits, reservoirs, saltpans etc). North America
• Winters: North to South America. Vagrant to Europe
• Habitat: On migration: Freshwater margins, estuaries, coastal mudflats
• Diet: Forages by sight: fields, mudflats, shores. Insects, mostly earthworms, also snails, grasshoppers, beetles
• Adults: Bit similar to & bit smaller than ringed plover but white breast has 2 black bands. Brown wings & back, white belly, Rump orange-brown. Bill all black. Legs greyish-pink or brownish (not orange)

 

In North America where the bird breeds, it does the "broken wing" act to entice predators away from it's nest. It also stops horses, cows etc from trampling the nest by fluffing up, putting it's tail over it's head, and charging at the animal to scare it off! The Killdeer is smaller than a ringed plover!

BBRC Killdeer records 1992-2006

0, 2, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 3, 0, 1, 2, 3

 

Killdeer records in the Western Isles

In 2007 we had 2nd Killdeer in the Western Isles in the last 10 years. In 2004 we had one arrive which stayed over Christmas and the New Year - a great mid-winter treat!

 

The chart below shows how abundant the Killdeer is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

 

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

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