PLOVERS 
181 
280. Wilson’s Plover, le pluvier de Wilson. Pagolla vrilsonia. L, 7 *75. A rather 
large, ring-necked plover, much like a small Ivilldeer, with a single breast-band. 
Distinctions. Like a Seinipaimated Plover, with com- 
plete breast-band and black and white forehead bar, but with 
a black spot in front of the eye. Bill decidedly larger and 
heavier than in any similar species, equal to or longer than 
the middle toe and claw instead of being decidedly shorter 
(Figure 258). 
Distribution. Southern North America. There is a 
single old record for Nova Scotia. 
281. Mountain Plover, le pluvier des montagnes. 
Eupoda Montana. L, 7 -25. Smaller than the Ki lid eer, but 
much larger than either of the little Ring Plovers, which it 
resembles in coloration. 
Distinctions. Has a dark forehead bar like the Piping 
Plover, a black bar from the base of bill to eye, but no breast-band. 
Field Marks. Too rare in Canada for its record here to be accepted on sight evidence. 
Distribution. Western United States. Breeding on western plains, northward to 
near Canadian border. Included in this volume because of specimens said to have been 
taken in 1874 on the International Boundary survey near Frenchman River, Saskatchewan. 
A bird of the dry uplands, almost independent of water. Occasional 
birds may possibly be noted in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, as 
they were originally not uncommon in central Montana and still occur 
there. 
273. Killdeer Plover. KILLDEER. LE PLUVIER KILDIR. Oxi/echus VOCijerUS. L, 
10-50. Plate XXI B. A medium-sized shore bird commonly frequenting the uplands. 
Pure white below, with two black breast-bands and a large amount of rusty yellow on 
rump and tail. 
Distinctions. The double black belt across the breast and the large amount of rusty 
yellow on tail and rump are distinctive. It is the largest of the belted plover. 
Field Marks. Size, white underparts, and double black breast-belt, large amount of 
rufous on rump and tail, and loud, strident voice represented as “Kildee, Kildee ” often 
repeated. 
Distribution. North and South America. Breeding commonly in Canada across the 
continent except on the east coast; in the west, north to Mackenzie and Yukon Valleys. 
A common bird over most of Canada. It nests in pastures and culti- 
vated fields, as a rule at some distance from water. When its young are 
hatched it leads them to the nearest water, often the merest surface pool, 
where they dabble about the muddy edge until they are grown. 
The species is well named vociferus, as it is amongst the noisiest of 
the noisy. One cannot approach its chosen haunts without it springing an 
immediate alarm that puts all within hearing at nervous attention. 
“Kildee Kildee ” it cries stridently, and makes off in frantic alarm, only 
to return and tell it again and again to the intruder and the whole com- 
munity. It alights and runs about the object of its alarm with an aggra- 
vatingly repeated “ Cry ba-by-cry, cry ba-by ba-by ,} rising to a shriek of excite- 
ment as it plays “broken wing” and makes patently misleading attempts 
to hide behind quite inadequate grass clumps. There may or may not 
be young or nests nearby. It may or may not have a proprietary interest 
in the ground invaded, but it acts the same in either case and is not con- 
tent when at last it decoys or drives away its adopted enemy, but follows 
for long distances to prolong the agony and spoil his game whatever it 
may be. To the naturalist bent on studying some of the shyer denizens 
of the sloughs the Killdeer is an aggravation indeed, and at times consider- 
Wilson's Plover; 
scale, J. 
