Killdeer Calls (Learn 3 Common Sounds)
Killdeers are one of the only shorebirds that don’t have to live near a large body of water. These long-legged birds are well known for protecting their young by playing injured to distract predators away, then at the last minute flying away.
Killdeer CALLS:
- Make sure to press PLAY on the audio files below. 🙂
Sound #1: Flight Call
The call that gave the Killdeer its name is this flight call. Given by displaying males, this half-second-long call sounds a lot like ‘killdeer killdeer killdeer‘ over and over again.
Sound #2: Distress Call
This higher pitched sharp ‘dee‘ call can signify a bird in distress or that danger is near. As you are watching a Killdeer, listen for this call and watch for all the birds to gather together safely in numbers.
Sound #3: Bubbly ‘Dee’
Listen to the intensity of this call. As a Killdeer becomes increasingly nervous, the more intense and bubbly the ‘dee‘ call will become. In this clip, the Killdeer parent was playing injured and calling in an attempt to give the chicks a chance to escape from the danger.
Keep in mind that occasionally, a trilling dee call can also be used in a courtship display.
Have you heard the calls and sounds of a Killdeer before?
If so, please let us know below!
