Killdeer pairs scrape a shallow nest together, as a kind of wedding ceremony. They are a shorebird (a plover), and, in our case, they nested on the gravelly roadside shore of the Pocket Prairie in March. The 3-4 eggs blend in, and stones of all sizes are often added as more camouflage.
Therefore, the young, mostly without a protective nest, use their parent for cover.
Sometimes several chicks need protecting all at once!
Here, Rona captured a remarkable killdeer moment
The young run swiftly, then jolt to a stop. Over and over. They seem to disappear in a stop-motion moment. The parents lure potential predators away with wing flaps or by feigning injury while “complaining” loudly.
These birds are a joy to watch.
So much fun to see these pictures. All these killdeer situations one rarely sees. Thanks you guys.
Sue Reindollar