Or at least that's what it wants you to think. This is a Killdeer and they are everywhere in Owyhee County (and the rest of North America as well). It's named after it's primary cry, which sounds a bit like "killdeer" and it's a kind of plover. This is either a mother or a father (they look the same so it's hard to tell) and it's acting very wounded and pathetic so that predators (and photographers) will follow it away from these:
These are Killdeer eggs, but I'm sure you figured that out already. They're camouflage, and can be extremely hard to find. Killdeer start laying their eggs early in the year. Many nests are already hatched. In fact, just a few hundred feed away, a nest recently did.
The chicks hatch with (more or less) the same colors as their parents. But instead of feathers, they're just all fuzz. They prefer to stay hidden in tall grass, so I had to sit very still for quite some time before this little one would come out. The mother and father both keep a sharp eye out, and will call out for the chicks to hide at the least sign of danger.
What do Killdeer have to do with agriculture? Not much. But they are very close neighbors out here. They thrive off of the insects that agriculture attracts in large numbers. If you want to know more about them, there's always wikipedia, and for birds I like this site.
My parents have a nest that they watch out for every year in their pasture. It has been there for around 6 years now, well.. comes back every year.
ReplyDeleteI was rushed by a kildeer mom when I was little. I had no idea I was very close to her nest. Don't mess with 'em!
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