If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

2/10/02 Flooded area near check-in station/parking lot, San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside County, CA 

5/26/02 Hidden Valley Wildlife Area, Norco, Riverside County, CA 

 2/23/03 Kern Wildlife Refuge, Kern County, CA

8/18/04 Moss Landing State Beach, Monterey County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Killdeer

SPECIES: Chardrius vociferous

FAMILY: Charidriidae (Plovers)

LIFE LIST DATE: 3/19/1998

LOCATION: Sunnymead Ranch (private lake), Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

From Stokes Field Guide to Birds-Western Region & Kaufman Focus Guide: Birds of North America:

BEHAVIOR/HABITAT: A big, noisy plover of open country almost everywhere except far north. Lake shores and rivers, also plowed fields, pastures, large lawns, often far from water. When disturbed near nest, Killdeers often do a very convincing broken-wing act, flopping along the ground to lure intruders away.

IDENTIFYING MARKS: 10"; only North American plover with 2 neck rings. Light, reddish brown rump is easily seen when bird flies or displays. Dark brown above, white below. 

VOICE: Many varied calls. The most common is a repeated 2-part kill-deah.
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