The Killdeer 



No. 256 



Killdeer 



A. O. U. No. 273. Oxyechus vociferus vociferus (Linnaus). 



Synonyms. — Kildeer. Killdee Plover. Killdee. 



Description. — Adult: Crown and occiput and back bright grayish brown, 

 the feathers often sparingly or narrowly edged or tipped with tawny; rump and upper 

 tail-coverts cinnamon-rufous or tawny; tail like back, crossed subterminally by broad 

 black band, and tipped with lighter brown, ochraceous, and white, the lateral feathers 

 irregularly dusky, white and tawny; primaries dusky, the outer with some white on 

 the inner webs, and the inner ones with white on the outer webs; two black bands 

 across chest, the anterior one nearly reaching around cervix; a band on forehead, 

 separating the white and brown, and another across cheek from bill, impure black; 

 included spaces of head and neck, a ring around cervix, and remaining underparts 

 pure white; the brown of back encroaching on sides of breast between black bars, 

 and sometimes suffusing entire space between them; eye-lids bright orange-red. 

 Bill black; legs pale. Immature: Like adult, but feathers of upper plumage 

 more extensively edged with tawny; sides of breast and white chest-band more or less 

 overlaid with tawny. Chicks have only one black pectoral band, but are otherwise 

 strikingly like adult; upperparts mottled black and tawny; feathers of tail filamentous- 

 parted, silky, wavy. Length 228.6-285.8 (9.00-1 1.25); wing 161 (6.34); tail 91.2 (3.59); 

 bill 20.6 (.81); tarsus 35.8 (1.41). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size; two black bands across chest distinctive; 

 tawny rump; vociferous "Killdeer'" cries. 



Nesting. — Nest: On the ground, often upon gravel, unlined, or with some 

 accumulation of bark-fragments, dead leaves, and trash. Eggs: 4; ovate-pyriform; 

 buffy white or pale olive-buff, boldly spotted and blotched or scrawled with brownish 

 black and with occasional violet-gray. Av. size 38.85 x 26.4 (1.51 x 1.04). Season: 

 April-May; one brood. 



General Range. — Temperate North America and northern South America. 

 Breeds from central British Columbia, southern Mackenzie, and central Quebec south 

 to the Gulf Coast and Mexico. Winters from the Southern States and casually from 

 southern Indiana and New Jersey south to Venezuela and Peru; casually to 

 Paraguay and Chile. Accidental in Great Britain. 



Distribution in California. — An abundant migrant throughout the State; 

 partially resident at most of the lower levels west of the Sierran divide. A summer 

 resident east of the Sierras and in many of the Sierran valleys. Rare or local as a 

 breeder in many sections south of the Tehachipe. Numbers in the San Diegan district 

 considerably augmented in winter. Scarce or casual upon the islands. 



Authorities. — Gambel (Charadrius vociferus), Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 ser. 2, i., 1849, p. 220 (Santa Barbara); McAtee, U. S. Dept. Agric, Farmers' Bull, 

 no. 497, 1912, p. 16 (food); Tyler, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 9, 1913, p. 31 (San Joaquin 

 Valley; nesting dates, etc.); Bryant, Auk, vol. xxxi., 1914, p. 170 (feeding on grass- 

 hoppers). 



Oxyechus vociferus vociferus earsplitterus ananias! The books concede 

 only the first three epithets: we add the others upon our own authority. 



I2$9 



