﻿S50 
  

  

  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  I 
  St 
  to 
  the 
  15th 
  of 
  March, 
  usually 
  passing 
  north 
  from 
  the 
  15th 
  to 
  the 
  30th 
  

   of 
  May, 
  returning 
  from 
  the 
  loth 
  to 
  the 
  30th 
  of 
  July, 
  and 
  departing 
  from 
  the 
  

   ist 
  to 
  the 
  15th 
  of 
  November, 
  rarely 
  lingering 
  into 
  December 
  or 
  later. 
  In 
  

   western 
  New 
  York 
  it 
  arrives 
  from 
  the 
  4th 
  to 
  the 
  20th 
  of 
  March 
  and 
  departs 
  

   about 
  the 
  last 
  of 
  October. 
  

  

  Habits. 
  The 
  Killdeer, 
  or 
  Killdeer 
  plover, 
  is 
  well 
  known 
  throughout 
  

   the 
  coimtry 
  which 
  drains 
  into 
  the 
  Great 
  Lakes, 
  inhabiting 
  the 
  pastures, 
  

   newly 
  plowed 
  fields, 
  and 
  the 
  shores 
  of 
  our 
  lakes 
  and 
  streams. 
  Its 
  nest 
  is 
  

   usually 
  farther 
  from 
  water 
  than 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  Spotted 
  sandpiper 
  and 
  is 
  often 
  

   found 
  on 
  upland 
  fields, 
  or 
  pastures, 
  a 
  long 
  distance 
  from 
  any 
  stream. 
  They 
  

   feed 
  largely 
  on 
  grubs 
  and 
  grasshoppers, 
  bu.t 
  are 
  not 
  seen 
  in 
  such 
  grassy 
  

   fields 
  as 
  the 
  Bartramian 
  sandpiper. 
  When 
  a 
  flock 
  of 
  killdeers 
  are 
  feeding, 
  

   they 
  are 
  in 
  full 
  view. 
  Hence 
  the 
  close 
  cropped 
  pasture 
  is 
  their 
  favorite 
  

   resort. 
  They 
  visit 
  some 
  bar 
  or 
  lake 
  shore 
  at 
  night, 
  or 
  morning 
  and 
  evening, 
  

   to 
  drink 
  and 
  feed 
  and 
  sport 
  along 
  the 
  shore 
  ; 
  thus 
  there 
  is 
  usually 
  a 
  regular 
  

   flight 
  of 
  killdeers 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  times 
  a 
  day 
  between 
  the 
  fields 
  and 
  the 
  water 
  

   side. 
  They 
  are 
  noisy 
  birds, 
  keeping 
  up 
  a 
  continual 
  screaming 
  and 
  chattering 
  

   when 
  at 
  play. 
  When 
  flying 
  also, 
  they 
  call 
  kill-dee, 
  kill-dee 
  at 
  frequent 
  

   intervals; 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  breeding 
  season, 
  the 
  male 
  circles 
  around 
  his 
  chosen 
  

   fields 
  with 
  measured 
  fiight 
  and 
  incessant 
  reiteration 
  of 
  his 
  shrill 
  voiced 
  

   love 
  song. 
  While 
  flying 
  about 
  in 
  sport 
  they 
  occasionally 
  rush 
  headlong 
  

   downward 
  through 
  the 
  air, 
  with 
  quivering, 
  swirling 
  flight, 
  uttering 
  at 
  the 
  

   same 
  time 
  a 
  rattling 
  torrent, 
  of 
  high 
  pitched 
  notes. 
  A 
  similar 
  vocal 
  per- 
  

   formance 
  is 
  frequently 
  executed 
  when 
  they 
  are 
  running 
  along 
  the 
  ground, 
  

   usually 
  with 
  upstretched 
  wmgs. 
  This 
  happens 
  when 
  several 
  birds 
  are 
  

   together, 
  and 
  is 
  accompanied 
  by 
  a 
  ducking 
  and 
  chasing 
  about 
  among 
  the 
  

   troop, 
  reminding 
  one 
  slightly 
  of 
  the 
  intricate 
  dances 
  of 
  the 
  Brazilian 
  lap- 
  

   wing, 
  as 
  described 
  by 
  Mr 
  Hudson. 
  

  

  The 
  Killdeer 
  runs 
  nimbly 
  and 
  swiftly 
  with 
  its 
  wings 
  well 
  folded 
  above 
  

   its 
  tail, 
  the 
  head 
  gathered 
  in, 
  the 
  tail 
  straight 
  and 
  the 
  whole 
  body 
  slightly 
  

   inclined 
  forward. 
  After 
  proceeding 
  a 
  few 
  yards 
  it 
  suddenly 
  stops, 
  stands 
  

   erect 
  and 
  looks 
  about. 
  Its 
  food 
  is 
  seized 
  with 
  a 
  ducking 
  motion 
  and 
  swal- 
  

   lowed 
  directly. 
  As 
  they 
  feed 
  almost 
  entirely 
  on 
  insects 
  which 
  are 
  injurious 
  

  

  