Killdeeer Facing Left - stock photo

A Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) in the shallow water of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Riverside County, southern California. This very common medium-sized plover is resident from northern Mexico throughout the United States and southern Canada. Some of the population migrates north to breed in far northern Canada, and some birds migrate south to winter throughout Central America and northern South America. The apt species name is indicative of its loud, oft-repeated calls.