486 THE KILLDEER 



General Range. Temperate North America, breeding north to Newfound- 

 land and Manitoba, migrating to the West Indies, Central America, and northern 

 South America; Bermuda. 



Range in Ohio. Common summer resident throughout the state; winters 

 sparingly in southern portion. 



ALTHO the shrill cry of the Killdeer shouting his name is a welcome 

 sound when it cuts across the frosty sky in early spring, one can scarcely 

 forgive him the immoderate clamor of midsummer, nor the officious way 

 in which your self-appointed guide heralds the approach of the huntsman 

 to every living thing. If you are actually near the nest there is some excuse 

 for alarm, and the female does not fail to try every ruse in the endeavor to 

 lure you away from the dangerous spot. First she rolls and flounders 

 away across the ground, screaming with agony, as tho she had been stepped 

 on. But if you are simple enough to follow, the bird gradually recovers, 

 and is soon able to patter along ahead of you with tolerable celerity. The 

 male, too, is no indifferent spectator. He comes as near as he dares, and 

 shrieks, "Dear, dear, dear, dear, dear," until the wonder is that he does not 

 burst a blood vessel or split his vocal chords. Interested neighbors add 

 their frenzy to the din, until in desperation you are almost ready to believe 

 }ourself the frightful villain they are all accusing you of being. If yon 

 are willing to quit the place a bevy of fathers will pilot you out of bounds. 

 One will patter ahead of you with breast pushed forward and legs incred- 

 ibly nimble, only to pull up presently with a jerk and a compensatory bob 

 to ask if you are following. The others describe a great half-circle about 

 you with graceful wing but unceasing stridor, and take their places in the 

 van. The birds believe themselves extremely clever as they lead you off 

 by alternate flights and sprints, and you may hear them indulge from time 

 to time in a low rapid titter, teceee-t, which you may be sure is quite at your 

 expense. All this racket is bad enough at best, and one may be really sorry 

 to have intruded at first, but when the whole operation is gone through with 

 again the next time you happen that way, and when you know that the young 

 are long since flying, all this fuss and outcry is distinctly annoying. One 

 feels as if the Killdeer had contracted the habit of yellow-journalism and 

 couldn't let go. 



The Killdeer nests in fallow fields, plowed ground, and open prairie, 

 or else upon the open bars of river courses, never very far from water, but 

 by no means confined to it. The four eggs are invariably placed with th 

 little ends together, so that they may occupy the least room possible; and 

 this appears quite necessary when we note how large they are in compari- 

 son with the parent bird. Sometimes a little grass or crumbled bark or 

 dried rabbits' dung serves for the lining, but often the eggs are laid upon the 

 bare ground. Once in eastern Washington. I found what I think must be 



