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Killdeer Sounds

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© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay Library Montana, May 01, 1999

Calls
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Oregon, June 16, 2005Recorded by Michael Andersen | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Calls

Most noticeable among the Killdeer’s many calls is the high, plaintive kill-deer the bird is named for. Displaying males give this 0.5-second call over and over while in flight. Birds in distress or sounding an alarm make a sharp dee that can intensify into a nervous, bubbling trill. This trill may also be used in courtship displays.

Compare with Similar Species

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Wilson's Plover Breeding adult is similar to Killdeer

Wilson's Plover

Semipalmated Plover Breeding adult is similar to Killdeer

Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Plover Nonbreeding adult is similar to Killdeer

Semipalmated Plover

Species in This Family

Plovers and Lapwings(Order: Charadriiformes, Family:Charadriidae)

Black-bellied Plover

Black-bellied Plover

American Golden-Plover

American Golden-Plover

Pacific Golden-Plover

Pacific Golden-Plover

Wilson's Plover

Wilson's Plover

Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Plover

Mountain Plover

Mountain Plover

Browse Species in This Family

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Killdeer

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