Bird ID eastern shore

[Melnic]

This thing came after me in my rock front yard. Never had one here do that. Then realized it was protecting its 4 eggs. It laid the eggs almost in the middle of the yard. We have not been down for 3 weeks and the bird and eggs are almost impossible to see if it’s not moving.

What bird is this?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mark75H]

Killdeer. They make nests on the ground in a pile of rocks

When you approach they usually fly away, to lure you away from the nest. They may even fake a broken wing to get you away from the nest area.

 

[whistlersmother]

Looks like a killdeer.

They'll also feign wing injury to lead away a predator.

 

[Joseph]

I can’t help with the ID but that is a cool looking bird! Aside from the camouflage that is a poor location for a nest.

 

[newmuzzleloader]

Killdeer

 

[Melnic]

It chirped and spread its wings and I thought it was going to come after me. As I approached it , it did move away from the eggs but as we backed off it went back to them. Hopefully it will sit still when my dogs are outside on the small patch of grass.

Daughter is working on a name for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wilcam47]

Killdeer, they fake injury to lure you away from nest

 

[Rocinante]

Yep, killdeer.

 

[DeadInside]

Killdeer. From DNR website:

Ground Nesters

Unlike most birds who nest in trees, these birds are ground nesters. Particularly, the Killdeer likes to nest on open ground, often gravel.

 

[Cheesehead]

It's a killdeer. Used to get them almost every year on my gravel driveway when we lived on the shore. I had to put lawn chairs around the nest to keep unknowing visitors from driving over them. They seem to have a lot of egg mortality, as I would find broken eggshells and the nest abandoned much of the time. I suspect black snakes got them most of the time. If they do successfully hatch the chicks are really cute and entertaining. They will run around, then stop and hunker down, assuming you can't see them.

 

[ShOrebird]

They LOVE to nest on flat-rocky ground. One place I worked at had a two-foot fringe of beach pebbles all around the parking lot. They laid eggs there every Spring and paid no attention to the parked cars.
They are pretty noisy when they aren't on the nest.

https://www.birdnote.org/explore/sights-sounds/video/2015/10/killdeer-calling

When anyone got close they would make a racket and do the "broken wing" act and lead them away from the nest. It's an amazing sight to watch.
Those birds put Amber Heard's acting skills to shame.

 

[Mr H]

They will also nest on gravel rooftops.

Always cool to see them.

They are almost 'trash birds' in central Illinois!

 

[wilcam47]

Caught one of the babies, from nest we had here, i let it go back to its brothers and sisters

 

[E.Shell]

They will also nest on gravel rooftops.

I worked at Nevamar in Odenton in the early '80s as an electrician and we always had nests up on the aggregate roof. Makes you wonder what the babies find to eat up there, but with all the site lighting attracting bugs, I guess there were enough laying around in the morning to keep them going.

 

[Melnic]

Weird thing yesterday before I left the house. 2 more Killdeer showed up and the 2 tending the nest seemed to be fighting them off. A bit of chase and such pursued before I left.

 

[ShOrebird]

I worked at Nevamar in Odenton in the early '80s as an electrician and we always had nests up on the aggregate roof. Makes you wonder what the babies find to eat up there, but with all the site lighting attracting bugs, I guess there were enough laying around in the morning to keep them going.

Oh! Heck Yeah!
That parking lot I mentioned had very bright dusk-to-dawn lights in the lot. I left work at 11pm, but the lights were bright enough that mother and chicks were running all around the lot as they snagged bugs while I was leaving at night. Big-fat moths would fly in circles until they hit the light and dropped to the ground. Profit!

 

[ShOrebird]

Caught one of the babies, from nest we had here, i let it go back to its brothers and sisters

Wow! Beautiful animal!!!

 

[ShOrebird]

Weird thing yesterday before I left the house. 2 more Killdeer showed up and the 2 tending the nest seemed to be fighting them off. A bit of chase and such pursued before I left.

Those are Commie birds trying to destroy a perfectly good nesting situation. The bastards!!!
I hope they chased them off.

 

[Bullfrog]

When anyone got close they would make a racket and do the "broken wing" act and lead them away from the nest. It's an amazing sight to watch.
Those birds put Amber Heard's acting skills to shame.

Do they crap on your bed when you leave home?

 

[Doco Overboard]

When they make a nest out in the lane you have to barricade them off, until they hatch and leave off.