Killdeer Chicks update 5-6-2010 HD.avi

Four Killdeer chicks hatched on 4-4-2010. Today mom, dad and three of the chicks are still hanging around. They are about 3/4 the size of the mom, and I'm sure it won't be much longer before the start flying. Have no idea what happened to number four chick. Our neighbor up the street had four eggs hatch next to her lot, but all four chicks died when they where abandoned by the parents, despite efforts to feed them.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Killdeer birds
• Whiteplains Plantation
• update

[Duckey123]

I've seen the birds one more time about a week after this video was taken. But have not seen them since. It is amazing that any of them survive, since they are born in an open field with all the predators that are around. From Fox to Eagles.

[desertdarlene]

Glad to see that three survived, but sad about the fourth. There's a lot of things that can get to them like cars, cats, etc. Too bad about the other chicks in the other nest. Something must have spooked the parents off the nest too soon.

Most people have difficulties getting the chicks to eat and usually they have to be turned into a wildlife center or animal hospital to be cared for. Even then, they have a hard time with them.

[Duckey123]

@desertdarlene

I saw them again yesterday. Took some video, but been to busy to upload. They are almost as big as the parents right now. Still not flying. Shouldn't be long now.

[desertdarlene]

@Duckey123 The fourth one, if it is a female, might have been "courted away" by a male. The little female I saw was being flirted with pretty heavily by an older male much to the dismay of mom and dad. Needless the say that male was attacked and chased. However, the little female went around wide eyed and curious about the world.

[desertdarlene]

@Duckey123 I just had to watch your video again as I had three chicks go missing at 6 days old (though their parents were seen often). A day or two ago, at least one, or two chicks might have come back, I'm hoping. They would be only a few days older than the ones in your video and almost the same size as the adults. But, they looked the same as yours and could fly well.