American Coot 



National Park Service 



KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus) 



Because of their wide distribution and distinctive ciiaracteristics some 

 birds are familiar to most everyone. The killdeer is such a bird. This hand- 

 some shorebird whose call announces its name is a member of the plover 

 family. Kilideers do not build a nest, instead they lay their eggs on the 

 ground in a convenient depression. For this reason their eggs and young 

 are vulnerable to predators, as well as to human intruders. To protect 

 the nest and young the killdeer has developed an injury-feigning distrac- 

 tion display. When an intruder approaches, the killdeer moves away from 

 the eggs or young while dragging one wing, spreading the tail and uttering 

 a loud distress call. The killdeer can be found in marshy areas throughout 

 both parks. Many kilideers spend the entire summer in the hydrothermal 

 environments of Yellowstone. 



Common Snipe 



Stephen A. Laymen 



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