Are there Killdeer birds in Florida?

The killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a medium-sized plover bird found throughout North America. Killdeer are commonly seen in open fields, parking lots, athletic fields, golf courses, and shorelines. Their distinct call gives them their name, as it sounds as if they are saying “kill-dee”. Killdeer are well known for the “broken wing act” they use to distract predators from their nests. But are killdeer found in the state of Florida?

Range of the Killdeer

Killdeer have an extensive range that covers much of North America. Their breeding range stretches across southern Canada from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, throughout the contiguous United States, and down into parts of Central America. Killdeer migrate from their northern breeding grounds to more southerly wintering grounds, though some birds can be resident year-round depending on the location.

In the United States, killdeer can be found year-round across most of the southern half of the country from California to Virginia. Their range extends throughout the entire state of Florida. Killdeer are common year-round residents in Florida, found statewide in appropriate open habitat.

Habitat Preferences in Florida

Within the state of Florida, killdeer occupy open habitats with bare or short grassy areas and sparse vegetation. Typical locations include:

Grasslands

– Pastures
– Agricultural fields
– Meadows
– Rangeland

Open and Disturbed Areas

– Driveways, parking lots, athletic fields
– Gravel pits, construction sites
– Airfields, landfills
– Dirt or gravel roads

Shorelines

– Beaches
– Mudflats
– Sandbars, dunes

Wetlands

– Marsh edges
– Flooded fields
– Mudflats

Killdeer avoid thick vegetation and are not found deep within forests. They prefer open spaces with good visibility that allow them to easily detect potential predators and other threats. The adaptability of killdeer allows them to thrive near human activity and man-made landscapes.

Breeding and Nesting

Killdeer nest on the ground in a scrape lined with pebbles, shells, wood chips, or other debris. They lay their eggs in open flat spaces with short vegetation and good visibility, such as:

– Gravel roads or shoulders
– Driveways
– Parking lots
– Athletic fields
– Lawns
– Bare areas in pastures or fields

Nests are especially common on flat rooftops such as schools, warehouses, and commercial buildings. Killdeer breeding season in Florida peaks February to August. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for hatchlings. If nests or young are threatened, killdeer parents perform distraction displays, pretending to have a broken wing to draw predators away.

Diet and Feeding

Killdeer forage primarily on insects, worms, and other invertebrates. They also opportunistically eat seeds, berries, and other plant material. Killdeer use their large eyes to locate prey items in bare areas with sparse vegetation. They run and stop quickly, picking food up from the ground surface.

In Florida, killdeer feed in typical open habitats like shorelines, wetlands, fields, and lawns. Their habitats bring them near buildings, sidewalks, roads, parking lots, and golf courses where they can find food sources like:

– Insects like beetles, crickets, dragonflies
– Worms and grubs
– Snails, crab and shrimp
– Spiders and millipedes
– Centipedes
– Larvae
– Seeds
– Berries

Status and Conservation

Killdeer are not considered threatened or endangered. They are classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN due to their large range and stable population trends. Habitat loss does pose a threat in some regions, though killdeer remain common and widespread overall.

In Florida, destruction of wetlands and coastal habitat for development presents a localized risk. However, killdeer are adaptable and able to utilize human-created environments. Their populations remain stable, and they are not a species of conservation concern within the state.

Population in Florida

The Partners in Flight landbird population estimate for killdeer in Florida is 200,000 individuals. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data indicates killdeer have increased in Florida since the 1960s based on survey routes within the state. The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) trend estimate for killdeer in Florida from 1966-2019 is +1.14% per year.

Responsiveness to Habitat Change

Killdeer are well known for utilizing human-altered environments. They thrive in areas like athletic fields, golf courses, gravel pits, airports, and landfills. Their adaptability allows them to shift nesting and foraging activities to new areas as natural habitats are lost. For example, breeding pairs are now commonly found nesting on gravel rooftops.

Summary of Killdeer in Florida

In summary, killdeer are well-established year-round residents throughout the state of Florida. They occur in open habitats statewide, including both natural and human-created environments. Killdeer have adapted well to changes brought by development and urbanization. Populations in Florida appear stable and may even be increasing based on long-term Breeding Bird Survey data. Though dependent on open spaces, killdeer are flexible enough to shift nesting and foraging activities to new areas as old sites are lost. Their resilience suggests killdeer will remain a familiar sight and sound across Florida into the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are killdeer found in Florida?

Killdeer are found year-round statewide across Florida in open habitat types that include grasslands, shorelines, wetlands, agricultural areas, and urban environments like parking lots, athletic fields, and rooftops.

What do killdeer eat in Florida?

Killdeer forage on insects, worms, grubs and other invertebrates. They also eat seeds, berries and some plant material. Typical feeding habitats include shorelines, wetlands, lawns, golf courses, athletic fields.

When do killdeer nest in Florida?

The killdeer breeding season in Florida peaks February through August but can begin as early as December. Nests are scrapes on open ground with eggs laid March-July, occasionally into September.

Are killdeer rare in Florida?

No, killdeer remain common and widespread across the state. Population trends appear stable to possibly increasing based on long-term surveys. Killdeer are not considered threatened, endangered or a species of conservation concern in Florida.

Where are the largest populations of killdeer in Florida?

Killdeer occur statewide so population densities depend on the amount of suitable open habitat. Some key areas likely hold higher concentrations such as wetlands of the Everglades region, coastal habitats along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, inland grasslands of central Florida, and urban areas like golf courses and landfills statewide.

Conclusion

The killdeer is a successful plover species that has adapted well to human-altered landscapes across North America. Within the state of Florida, killdeer occur year-round in appropriate open habitat statewide. They are common in natural areas as well as urban environments and human-created landscape features. Killdeer populations appear stable to increasing in Florida over recent decades. Though dependent on open spaces, the adaptability and resilience of killdeer will likely allow this species to persist across Florida into the foreseeable future.

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