Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bird Parents and a Killdeer Ball of Fluff

I was headed out of my office tonight to go home.  As I was locking the door, a Northern Mockingbird flew toward me, squawked and landed on the step railing near me.  I said, "What?  Do you have a youngster out here somewhere?" (Yes, I do talk to birds.)

I looked around without moving and discovered a pristine juvenile sitting on the sidewalk, two feet away.  
Killdeer chick above.

The white edging of the juvenile's plumage was brilliant against pale gray feathers and when she looked up at me, her yellow gape was SO yellow.  I wondered if she had just fledged.  I stood without moving and coaxed, "You need to fly."   A few beats later, she flew to the holly with parent close behind.

Bird parents.  They are loyal, hard working, vigilant.

And that brings me to killdeer. Along with mockingbirds, this is a bird I have known and loved since childhood.  I first became acquainted with them in farm pastures, their loud cries on the wing unmistakable.  My latest encounter was last week in the grocery parking lot.  But it was not until my June visit to Brevard County, FL, on my way to the Pelican Island Overlook at Sebastian Inlet, that I actually witnessed the famous broken wing display.  Immediately, I was on the alert for young.  
And what we found (I was with Marge Bell and Jim Angy of Brevard County) was this little fluff ball, busily foraging on long legs.  If you enlarge the image below, you can see the webs on the chick's feet.  Though killdeer, a plover species, are found in many dry open places frequented by people, such as ball parks, gravel roads, abandoned fields and parking lots, they are also wetland birds.  And both the adults and juveniles are proficient swimmers.
But our visit with the juvenile was cut short by an unhappy parent who let out an ear-piercing alarm call.
She got our attention and the attention of the juvenile who immediately adopted a crouched, motionless posture and blended with the dead debris on the ground.
Nature at her best.

To see my previous posts on the Space Coast, Brevard County, FL click here

For more Brevard County Links visit:
Space Coast Beach Buzz
Jim Angy Photography
Space Coast Wildflowers

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #99 at Birdfreak.com to promote the conservation of our world's birds.

And don't miss your chance to win a free copy of the 8th Edition of Simpson and Day's Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Visit my book review and leave your comment before midnight (EDT) July 31st.  The Winner will be announced August 1st and receive their free copy directly from Penguin Australia.  Good luck!

14 comments:

  1. WONDERFUL photos, Vickie! That's adorable...

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  2. Love this sweet little Killdeer. My husband has a railroad track running behind his shop and an Killdeer had made nest in the stones by the tracks...eeeek! :)

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  3. Baby shorebirds make me go all nutty and squeally.
    You lucky thing, to have them just waiting out on the sidewalk for you.

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  4. Thank you, Cathy. They bring all the feelings of the moment back.

    Hi Jiz. I know what you mean. They seem to love gravel nesting and it doesn't matter what perils they face to lay eggs there. That site would make me a wreck.

    Susan, squeally is a good description. They make you melt inside.

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  5. Lovely photos of that little ball of fluff! It reminds me of the Masked lapwing chicks (used to be called a spur-winged plover) that we see here in the open spaces - except that the parents attack you when you get too close!

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  6. Oh my! That chick is the cutest!!! I love the second photo. It's eye looks huge on that tiny body.

    Thanks for sharing these photos. :D

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  7. What a cute little Killdeer, so alert and such a sweet face, love those legs for running and the colouration so perfect for hiding. Lovely captures, great birds~

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  8. Oh, I love it!

    My first experience with killdeer chicks was right after a major rainstorm ... our patio was full of puddles. I went out to see what some bird was fussing about, and saw what I thought were three dead baby birds squashed in the puddles. So, trying to help the mama, I went to pick them up and dispose of the bodies so the mama could get over it.

    That mama had them so well trained that the chick in my hand (or dustpan or whatever I used) didn't even move till she squawked at it again! Imagine my astonishment when this dead drowned baby bird comes to life in my hand and starts wriggling around ... and so do the others!

    Needless to say, I immediately put it down and backed away, and watched the whole mama killdeer routine from safe inside the door ... and we spent the rest of the season being very careful not to run over those crazy chicks as they darted around our patio and carport. It was a blast.

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  9. Awesome pictures of the baby Killdeer! I have seen adults only and heard there unmistakable flight cries, but never seen the broken wing routine. What a great ruse! I bet it draws off the predators any time

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  10. last year I saw baby killdeer at the edge of a prarie pothole but they were too far away to get a decent shot. The year before I photographed an adult killdeer and it wasn't till I viewed the images larger that I realized there were a couple young in the background. Its so wonderful for you to get such a beautiful up-close shot.

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  11. Oh gosh! I really do not like to describe birds as cute, but these photos immediately brought an "ooohh" from me. Thanks for creating a warm smile in me.

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  12. Balls of fluff is right Vickie! These are fantastic shots of the "Killfawn"

    That third photo where you can see its little wing is just too cute.

    I was able to witness the broken wing act just last year and it is amazing how well those chicks are camouflaged.

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  13. Howdee Vickie,

    Aww, what a cute ball of fluff.
    I think its amazing how little it looks in the last photo when it is all hunkered down.

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  14. Great post- before I knew what they were, some momma killdeer fooled me with the broken wing act! Once she flew away and I figured out the ruse, I had a good laugh about it.

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