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Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Bird · family Charadriidae · order Charadriiformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
50 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
10 years[4]

The Killdeer is a bird in the plover family, Charadriidae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act and NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide[1][2].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Killdeer a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. In the United States it is ranked Secure for both breeding and nonbreeding birds[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Near threatened[7]. The Killdeer is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. It is on the federal list of birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding))
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Near threatened
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Killdeer lives

NatureServe lists the Killdeer as native in 50 US states and territories, including Alaska, California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, New York and Florida[3]. State ranks are listed in the table on this page[10]. Observation records on GBIF are highest in California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois, but this follows where people watch and report, not how many birds live there[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S3BAKMaine: native, state rank S3N,S5BMEWisconsin: native, state rank S4BWIVermont: native, state rank S5BVTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5BNHWashington: native, state rank S4B,S4NWAIdaho: native, state rank S4B,S4NIDMontana: native, state rank S5BMTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRBNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRBMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5B,S5NMAOregon: native, state rank S5ORNevada: native, state rank S5NVWyoming: native, state rank S5B,S5NWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5BSDIowa: native, state rank S5B,S5NIAIndiana: native, state rank S4INOhio: native, state rank S5OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S4BPANew Jersey: native, state rank S4B,S4NNJConnecticut: native, state rank S4BCTRhode Island: native, state rank S4BRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S5B,S4NUTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank SNRB,SNRNMOKentucky: native, state rank S4B,S4NKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5B,S4NWVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S4BMDDelaware: native, state rank S5BDEArizona: native, state rank S4AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S4B,S5NNMKansas: native, state rank S5BKSArkansas: native, state rank S4ARTennessee: native, state rank S5BTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5B,S5NNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S2B,S4NDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5BMSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5BTXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (50 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
AlaskaS3BVulnerable (breeding)
ArizonaS4Apparently Secure
ArkansasS4Apparently Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS5Secure
ConnecticutS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
DelawareS5BSecure (breeding)
District of ColumbiaS2B,S4NImperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS4Apparently Secure
IowaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
KansasS5BSecure (breeding)
KentuckyS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
LouisianaS5Secure
MaineS3N,S5BVulnerable (nonbreeding), Secure (breeding)
MarylandS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
MassachusettsS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRBNot Ranked (breeding)
MississippiS5BSecure (breeding)
MissouriSNRB,SNRNNot Ranked (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding)
MontanaS5BSecure (breeding)
NebraskaS5Secure
NevadaS5Secure
New HampshireS5BSecure (breeding)
New JerseyS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
New MexicoS4B,S5NApparently Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
North DakotaSNRBNot Ranked (breeding)
OhioS5Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonS5Secure
PennsylvaniaS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
Rhode IslandS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaS5BSecure (breeding)
TennesseeS5BSecure (breeding)
TexasS5BSecure (breeding)
UtahS5B,S4NSecure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
VermontS5BSecure (breeding)
VirginiaS5Secure
WashingtonS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
West VirginiaS5B,S4NSecure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
WisconsinS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
WyomingS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)

Habitat

The Killdeer uses open ground, including grassland, sand and dunes, cropland, suburban areas, riparian areas and tidal flats[12]. NatureServe also mentions lawns, pastures and mudflats, along with the edges of ponds and the sea[13]. It nests on the ground in open, dry or gravelly spots[13]. Sometimes nests are on roofs or driveways[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Killdeer eats mostly small invertebrates, which are animals without backbones, picked from the ground surface or sometimes from shallow water[14][15]. One diet estimate puts it at 90% invertebrates and 10% seeds[16]. NatureServe records a typical length of 27 cm (11 in)[17]. It records a typical adult weight of 101 g[18]. A typical clutch is 4 eggs[19]. Incubation takes 24 days[20]. Females reach sexual maturity at 365 days old[21]. The oldest known wild bird from banding records was at least 10 years 10 months old[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[17] 27 cm (11 in)
Typical adult weight[18] 101 g (3.6 oz)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[22] 10.9 years (wild)
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 10 years 10 months
Litter or clutch size[19] 4
Gestation or incubation[20] 24 days
Female maturity[21] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[15] Invertivore
Migration[23] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 90% invertebrates
  • 10% seeds

When to look for it

NatureServe describes the Killdeer as a medium distance partial migrant[24]. Its movements are complex and not well understood[24]. Migrants reach the northernmost breeding areas in March and April and leave by September and October[24]. Egg laying starts in March in the southern US and in April in the north[25]. NatureServe notes that activity sometimes happens on moonlit nights[26]. GBIF records are highest in March, April and May, which reflects when people look and report[27].

January: 373,678 recordsJanFebruary: 410,726 recordsFebMarch: 830,124 recordsMarApril: 1,123,702 recordsAprMay: 1,253,188 recordsMayJune: 683,495 recordsJunJuly: 609,352 recordsJulAugust: 688,992 recordsAugSeptember: 701,036 recordsSepOctober: 581,836 recordsOctNovember: 400,452 recordsNovDecember: 329,167 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[27].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January373,678
February410,726
March830,124
April1,123,702
May1,253,188
June683,495
July609,352
August688,992
September701,036
October581,836
November400,452
December329,167

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Killdeer as present in 224 park units[28]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 200 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Killdeer endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure[2].
Where does the Killdeer live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 50 US states and territories[3]. It uses open areas such as fields, lawns, pastures, mudflats and shores[13].
What does the Killdeer eat?
It eats mostly small invertebrates found on the ground or in shallow water[14]. One estimate gives 90% invertebrates and 10% seeds[16].
How big is a Killdeer?
NatureServe records a typical length of 27 cm (11 in)[17]. It records a typical weight of 101 g[18].
How long does a Killdeer live?
The oldest known wild Killdeer from banding records was at least 10 years 10 months old[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Killdeer is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Killdeer: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Killdeer as native in 50 US states and territories: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Killdeer from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 10 years 10 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a bird in the family Charadriidae, order Charadriiformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Near threatened. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Killdeer is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Killdeer (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Killdeer: California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Killdeer: Grassland/herbaceous, Sand/dune, Cropland/hedgerow, Suburban/orchard, Riparian, Tidal flat/shore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Killdeer. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Killdeer. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 90% invertebrates, 10% seeds. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 27 cm (11 in). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 101 g (3.6 oz). NatureServe Explorer
  19. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 4. AnAge
  20. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 24 days. AnAge
  21. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  22. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 10.9 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  23. NatureServe migration category for Killdeer: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  24. NatureServe notes on migration for Killdeer. NatureServe Explorer
  25. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Killdeer. NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on phenology for Killdeer. NatureServe Explorer
  27. GBIF observation records of Killdeer in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  28. NPSpecies park lists recording Killdeer as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.