In that case, they will begin nesting again within the next two weeks as long as it's early in the nesting season. Unfortunately something had broken the eggs. These birds feed by swimming rapidly in small circles to create a current to bring things to the surface and plucking edible items with their slender bills. Moving around a fake owl or hawk or having those big googly eyes might work in some occasions, but it is not guaranteed. It must be fun to see the little chicks running all over every spring/summer. If not, or if the chick is attacked, collect it and take it to the nearest wildlife rehabilitator. A killdeer is a medium-sized plover just smaller than a mourning dove. Look for phalaropes on wetland pools and flooded fields. Here are some slideshows that I made from my photographs of killdeer chicks.

Killdeers are technically a shorebird and can be found on the seashore, especially near river outlets where there aren't a lot of people. However, if either parent feels that the area is not safe, they will leave as soon as possible and never come back. I love shorebirds. If you must feed livestock with corn-based feed, try to do so in an enclosed area where the crows, blackbirds or grackles can't get to it or put in a container and feed with supervision while chasing the pest birds away. Killdeer love gravel driveways and often nest right in the middle of them. Then, as soon as possible, return it back to the area where it was found after the danger is secured (watch for crows and other predators as they are very smart and will watch what you're doing) It is illegal for you to possess these birds or eggs. Very nice lens. This is one of the things that keeps the bogs open to crazy hunters like me: Snipe are legal game, but they have many, many cousins who are protected by law. This may require burying some of the fence as many predators like to dig. They eat fleas, ticks, grasshoppers, weevils, wire-worms, click beetles and horse flies, almost anything edible they can scavenge. You must be the "Killdeer Whisperer"! But, cheer up, the other two may be safe with the other parent. This has been an amazingly interesting spring season for us! Killdeer nests are notorious for disappearing in what would seem a blink of an eye. Nice lens! Not only will this help keep out killdeer predators, but help to keep other animals and livestock safe. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature.

The single most effective thing you can do is keep cats confined indoors or in an outdoor enclosure or building. Killdeers like to live near freshwater sources, Killdeer nesting in an office parking lot, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Website on Killdeer, Killdeer on the Driveway, by Diane Porter, How to Build a Barn Owl Nesting Box: Barn Owl Nest Box Plans, Our Nesting Blackbirds Life Of A Blackbird Nest, Fun Questions and Answers About Wild Turkeys, Songbirds: North Carolina's State Bird-How to Identify the Northern Cardinal, How to Make a Hummingbird/Oriole Feeder from Recycled Plastic Containers. Blessed. Last year I heard a killdeer and spotted it doing the broken-wing behavior. I haven't heard them since. There is a gradual diminishing of populations to the west, and larger populations in suburban areas. ft. single-family home is a 3 bed, 2.0 bath property. Packed full of useful information.

Thanks for sharing this. what a beautiful bird, I did not realize they were endanger. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Oberholser, H. C. 1974. Mostly, they take short naps throughout the day and night. Killdeer courtship activities begin in mid-February in Texas and the first nests have eggs by early March. I was crazy about birds when I was around 8 years old. Killdeer are very devoted parents and aren't easily thwarted from nesting, so it must have been something really upsetting if they abandoned the nest for good. Don't they sleep? This is truly a sad situation as it looks like your neighbor's cat got them on the nest by surprise.

", which also is indicative of it's scientific name: Charadrius vociferus or "talkative plover".

All my kitties live inside.

Because of human modification of habitats, it is likely that Killdeer nest in every Texas county and most TBBA quads. Found this when I came home and did a bit of research since I was initially concerned that a shorebird wasn't near a shoreline, but after reading up I see that's pretty normal. The birds of north central Texas. What do I do?