Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus · Shorebird found in the Americas
Order
Charadriiformes
Conservation
NT Near Threatened
Codes
killde, KILL

About the Killdeer

The killdeer is a large plover found in the Americas. Its shrill, two-syllable call is often heard, sounding like "kill deer". It was described and given its current scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. Three subspecies are described. Its upperparts are mostly brown with rufous fringes, the head has patches of white and black, and two black bands cross the breast. The belly and the rest of the breast are white. The nominate subspecies breeds from southeastern Alaska and southern Canada to Mexico. It is seen year-round in the southern half of its breeding range; the subspecies C. v. ternominatus is resident in the West Indies, and C. v. peruvianus inhabits Peru and surrounding South American countries throughout the year. North American breeders winter from their resident range south to Central America, the West Indies, and the northernmost portions of South America.

Source: Wikipedia

Taxonomy & Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyPlovers and Lapwings (Charadriidae)
SpeciesCharadrius vociferus
Species Codeskillde, KILL
ConservationNT Near Threatened

Frequently Asked Questions

What family does the Killdeer belong to?

The Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) belongs to the Plovers and Lapwings family (Charadriidae), in the order Charadriiformes.

What is the conservation status of the Killdeer?

The Killdeer is classified as "Near Threatened" (NT) by IUCN Red List.

How can I identify the Killdeer?

The killdeer is a large plover found in the Americas. Its shrill, two-syllable call is often heard, sounding like \"kill deer\". It was described and given its current scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. Three subspecies are described. Its upperparts ar...

Where can I report a Killdeer sighting?

You can log sightings of Killdeer on eBird (ebird.org) using species code killde, or on iNaturalist.