Killdeer

'l'he Killdeer is a year-round resident of Vancouver and is the most widespread of all
the shorebirds within the city. A relatively large plover, it is readily identified by its two
black breast bands and by its kill-dee kill-dee call after which it was named. Its Latin
name, vociferus, is no misnomer; this shorebird can be heard throughout the year and
spends a great deal of time calling.
The Killdeer breeds on old industrial sites, gravel rooftops, unpaved roads and
around any relatively open area, including city gardens. It does not build a nest as
such, but digs out a small scrape in the ground, which it decorates with small stones,
wood chips, and pieces of plants. The Killdeer is skilled at the art of deception when
it comes to protecting its nest. By trailing a wing or dragging a leg, it will try to fool
a predator into believing that it is injured, only to fly or run off at high speed once it
has led the predator away from its nest site. It may even settle onto an imaginary nest
in order to confuse a predator.

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