Killdeer Bird Nest with Chicks

Female Killdeer bird with chicks and egg. Notice the egg on the right moving, it is actually in the process of hatching. No birds or eggs were harmed in the filming of this clip!!!

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Killdeer
• bird
• birds
• nest
• chicks
• eggs
• egg
• chick
• mother
• baby
• nature
• outside
• natural
• hatch
• hatchingbird
• hatching
• hatchling

[Lynney96]

Could this mother bird just have been left alone? She obviously feels threatened. Could she have been observed and videoed in a less obtrusive way? If not then leave her alone, is what I feel from watching this.

[trypeace]

@Lynney96 . Good questions. This nest was in an extremely active work area and was vulnerable on a daily basis to hawk attacks, raccoons, snakes, rats, cars, people, etc. Every egg hatched and every chick started to fly. So while it may seem cruel by looking at this video, I assured the survival of all chicks : ) With a little help from Mother Nature ; )

[333BlueRose333]

don't get too close or the mom will get scared and abandon them

[trypeace]

Not true, that does not happen with birds

[pearlycarole]

Thanks for sharing this - I've never heard of this bird - strange name, presumably it doesn't "kill deer??" I was a bit concerned as the chick/s(?) looked so still.......

[trypeace]

LOL, no it doesn't kill deer. The chick all grew up healthy and big. I didn't want to film the chicks because I didn't want to spook them.

[theCATHERNATOR]

@trypeace It gets it's name from its call. If you listen their call sounds like a variation of "Kill deer" or "Kill dee"

[DevonMadalaine]

yeah, and touching a bird won't do anything either, they don't care about human smell--birds hardly have any sense of smell at all!

[HeirOfSparda]

I'm surprised it stayed there, normally they take off if you get that close to their nest.

[MusicalBananas]

@Lynney96 Oh please. I live out in the country, those mother killdeer do the same thing if you're just passing by, no matter how close. It's nature, and thank you, Trypeace, for allowing us to observe that special moment. :]

They weren't touched, or harmed, I don't understand what the problem is.

[polymerclaycreatable]

@Lynney96 I totaly AGREE with your opinion !

[hopefoote]

Most killdeer have their nests in the open. They rely on the remarkable camouflage of both the eggs and the chicks themselves. You did nothing to assure the survival of the chicks. All you did was scare the hell out of the mother. Next time back off when an animal shows obvious signs of fright.

[desertdarlene]

@Lynney96 I agree. My favorite killdeer family nested in an area full of hawks, kestrels and other predators and I think I helped them survive. I didn't even have to be close to the babies, though I did take a few quick photos and left them alone after making sure they were OK, much to the parent's dismay. They moved the chicks the a safer area, later and I was very glad about it. All of them survived and are picking out their mates right now. They're very happy young adult killdeer.

[desertdarlene]

@trypeace I actually had the chance to observe several families this season and the parents got upset even if you were visible to them, I didn't have to be near the chicks or nest. I actually stayed and, after a little while, the chicks would come out and play around me even though the parents still called. One or two of the dads would start doing alarm calls even if I was walking on a shore across the bay from them. They're that protective and anxious.

This parent actually is very calm.

[legna601]

ounce i killed a baby birds egg my stuiped brother said you just killed an egg i found a nest and i touched it and the egg fell out i was like so what only 2 or3 birds surive and it was blue i was picking black berries and my mom found it