KILLDEER 213 



found a killdeer caught by the leg at a craj^fish hole, with one toe 

 already eaten off. He released the bird and cared for the wound. 

 The bird was able to stand and to fly away the next morning. 



Winter. — It is a pleasure to have this bird wintering throughout 

 the southern parts of our country. R. W. Williams (1919), writing 

 of these birds wintering in Florida, says : " They mingled freely 

 with other shore birds on the beach, mud flats, and oyster beds." 

 M. P. Skinner, of the birds observed at Pinehurst, says : "All through 

 the winter, the killdeer seemed to be roughly paired. They might 

 separate two or three hundred feet while feeding, but they always 

 came together again soon, and any intruders were promptly chased 

 off. The first actual mating that I saw was on January 28, 1927." 



With enlightened public opinion, a knowledge of the beneficial 

 character of this fine bird and its perpetual protection, there seems to 

 be every prospect that the killdeer will always remain a joy to 

 nature lovers and an aid to farmers. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — North and Central America, casual in South America and 

 the British Isles. 



Breeding range. — The killdeer breeds north to probably Mackenzie 

 (Fort Resolution) ; Alberta (Fort Chipewyan) ; Saskatchewan 

 (Buffalo Lake and Churchill River) ; Manitoba (probably Fort 

 Churchill) ; Ontario (probably Moose Factory and Ottawa) ; and 

 Quebec (Montreal, Godbout, and Magdalen Islands). East to Quebec 

 (Magdalai Islands) ; Maine (Bangor and Saco) ; New Hampshire 

 (Portsmouth) ; Massachusetts (Harvard, Cape Cod, and Chatham) ; 

 Connecticut (West Haven) ; New York (Plum Island, New York 

 City, and Staten Island) ; New Jersey (Red Bank and Sea Isle 

 City) ; Delaware (Lincoln) ; Maryland (Cambridge) ; North Caro- 

 lina (Pea Island and Fort Macon) ; South Carolina (Ladys Island 

 and formerly Frogmore) ; Georgia (Savannah and St. Simons 

 Island) ; eastern Florida (Gainesville, Fruitland Park, Indian River, 

 and Kissimmee) ; and the northern Bahama Islands (Little Abaco 

 and New Providence). South to the northern Bahama Islands (New 

 Providence) ; the west coast of Florida (Tarpon Springs, and prob- 

 ably James Island) ; Alabama (Leighton and Greensboro) ; Louisi- 

 ana (State Game Preserve and Mermenton) ; Texas (Houston, 

 Brownsville, Hidalgo, Eagle Pass, and Fort Hancock) ; Durango 

 (Sestin) ; Chihuahua (Pachico and San Diego) ; and Lower Cali- 

 fornia (Cape San Lucas). West to Lower California (Cape San 

 Lucas, Victoria Mountains, San Quentin Bay, and Volcano Lake) ; 

 California, Poway Valley, Escondido, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, 

 Santa Cruz, San Francisco, probably Cahto, and Fort Crook) ; 



