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Shore birds of the Chaplin Lake

Killdeer

The most well-known of the North American shorebirds, the Killdeer has mostly brown upperparts, mostly white underparts, and a cinnamon coloured rump. The dark, double band across its breast and black band across its forecrown are its strongest distinguishing marks.

Named for its loud, clear call which sounds like "kill-dee-dee, dee, dee", the species arrives in Chaplin soon after the first patches of bare ground appear. Nests consist of shallow depressions, sparsely lined with pebbles and bits of weeds. The Killdeer will sometimes pretend to have a broken wing to distract intruders away from its nest or young.

The Killdeer breeds all across southern Canada and as far south as central Mexico. It winters in the southern United States and northern parts of South America.

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