The Killdeer, a common type of plover, is a ground-nesting shorebird found across much of North America, often far from water. Its habit of laying eggs directly on the ground in open, exposed areas is the primary reason for curiosity about its nesting strategies. The species has adapted to nest in surprisingly public and vulnerable locations, including gravel driveways, agricultural fields, and parking lots. This choice of a simple scrape for a nest frequently leads observers to wonder if the parent birds possess a way to relocate their clutch when danger approaches.
The Physical Reality of Moving Eggs
Killdeer do not possess the biological or physical means to safely transport their eggs over any distance. Unlike some other bird species, such as woodcocks, Killdeer lack the specialized anatomical features for egg relocation. Their bills are long and stout, adapted for probing the earth for invertebrate food, not for securely grasping and carrying a fragile, relatively large egg. Attempting to move their eggs would almost certainly result in the eggs being dropped, cracked, or otherwise destroyed. Ornithological consensus holds that documented instances of Killdeer successfully moving intact eggs are virtually non-existent.
Why Killdeer Nests Are Vulnerable
The Killdeer is a highly adaptable species that chooses to nest in open, flat habitats with short vegetation, which often brings them into close proximity with human activity. A nest is typically a shallow depression, or “scrape,” scratched into the bare ground, sometimes lined with small pebbles, shell fragments, or bits of trash for camouflage. These minimal nests are frequently placed in locations that appear highly vulnerable, such as golf courses, airport fields, or even the middle of gravel driveways. The simple nature of the nest and its location provide little to no physical protection from predators like foxes and raccoons, or from accidental destruction by large animals or human vehicles. This placement strategy relies heavily on the speckled, buff-colored eggs blending seamlessly with the surroundings, a form of defense known as crypsis.
Distraction Tactics Mistaken for Movement
When a threat approaches the nest, the Killdeer employs one of the animal kingdom’s most recognizable anti-predator behaviors, a display often mistaken for distress. This elaborate performance is known as the “broken-wing display,” which is a form of distraction. The parent bird feigns a crippling injury, dragging one wing along the ground as if it were broken or dislocated, while emitting loud, plaintive calls. This dramatic show is designed to divert the attention of a potential predator or human away from the camouflaged nest and toward the seemingly easy target of the adult bird. The bird leads the intruder a safe distance away before suddenly and dramatically taking flight, leaving the confused threat behind and returning to the nest area.
The intensity of this display increases once incubation is underway. Killdeer chicks are precocial, meaning they hatch with a full coat of down feathers and can walk and forage for themselves almost immediately. While the adult bird cannot move the eggs, it can quickly lead its newly hatched, mobile young to a safer, more concealed area. This rapid movement of chicks, combined with the parent’s highly visible distraction behavior, is the likely source of historical accounts suggesting the birds can relocate their offspring.