Killdeer are notoriously weird when it comes to birds from the plover family. Although they will periodically nest near water, most prefer drier areas. Their favorite nesting spot seems to be smack dab in the center of a gravel driveway. Kimmie Lou has a recurring problem with a killdeer building its nest in her driveway. Using a sawhorse to warn people away, Kimmie is watchful of her returning “guest.”
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The killdeer gets its name from the distinctive call that sounds like the name. It has another trait that helps it protect its nest from animals. A female killdeer will limp away from her nest, dragging a wing and pretending she is injured. Predators naturally follow the “injured” bird. When they pounce, she deftly flies away safely.
Gravel is a favorite nesting spot because the coloration of their eggs closely matches the mottled gray of gravel. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking at, you might think the nest is just an odd collection of oval-shaped gravel.
Kimmie monitors the nest and tries to allow the female killdeer space, leaving it alone except for taking the occasional photo and video. Part of this clutch of eggs hatched recently, displaying three fuzzy little tribbles eager to experience life. The female will lead the tiny hatchlings away within hours of hatching.
Baby killdeer are precocial, meaning they can start running around almost immediately and feed themselves within hours of hatching. Once the hatchlings are moving about, the hen leads them away to more sheltered ground where they can begin feeding. Not all killdeer are migratory. They are visible year-round in the southern United States, but only during breeding season and summer in the northern part.
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