Killdeer
Killdeer
Chick
- Single black breast band makes young Killdeer easy to confuse with Wilson's or Semipalmated plovers
- Fuzzy appearance
- Brown above, white below
- White forehead
- © bird dog57, FL
Killdeer
Adult
- Two black breast bands
- Brown above, white below
- Long wings
- Red eye-ring
- © ashockenberry, Ontario, Canada
Killdeer
Adult on nest
- Cinnamon feather edging
- Pale legs
- White collar
- Short, straight, thin, black bill
- © curtzsi, July 2008
Killdeer
Adult
- Long wings
- White wing stripe
- Orange rump
- © Tiny Gehrke
Killdeer
Adult
- Orange rump
- White wing stripe
- White collar
- Black and white bands on tail
- © Kevin Klasman, MT, August 2007
Killdeer
Adult
- Orange rump
- White collar
- Often exhibits broken-wing distraction display when nest is threatened
- © Eric Rosenberg, CA, June 2007
Similar Species
Adult breeding
- Large, thick black bill
- Single black breastband, white throat and collar
- Brown crown and face, white forehead and eyebrow
- © Ryan Douglas, Puerta Jaguey, Puerto Rico, January 2009
Adult nonbreeding
- White forehead and eyebrow
- Single dark breastband
- © Jim Paris, NJ, December 2008
Adult breeding
- Black collar patch, ear patch, and upper forehead
- White forehead, eyebrow, throat, and collar
- Pale brownish gray crown and upperparts
- Short black bill
- © Mike Baird, bairdphotos.com, Morro Bay, CA, December 2006
Adult breeding
- Smooth grayish brown crown and upperparts
- Black mask and upper forehead
- White forehead; white throat and collar
- Single black breastband
- Short orange bill with black tip, orangish legs
- © tsiya, St. Johns Co., FL, April 2008
Adult breeding
- Rufous and black mottled upperparts
- Pale head, black and white patterned face and neck
- Black breast pattern
- © Bob Baker, VA, September 2007
Adult nonbreeding
- Reddish mottled upperparts
- Black breast pattern
- Indistinct brown and white face pattern
- © Kevin Bolton, NJ, November 2008
Adult breeding
- Very pale brownish gray upperparts
- White forehead, eyebrow, collar, and underparts
- Single black breastband and upper forehead
- Short orange bill with black tip, orangish legs
- © Billtacular, West Cape May, NJ, May 2007
Adult breeding
- Single black breastband and upper forehead
- Short orange bill with black tip, orangish legs
- Very pale brownish gray upperparts
- © Billtacular, West Cape May, NJ, May 2007