Sounds of the Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Shortcut: Kill-deer, kill-deer, kill-deer

Song: The best-known song is a loud kill-dee, kill-dee, kill-dee, given as males perform wide circle-flights over their territories in early spring.

Call: Plaintive nasal alarm calls sound like k'dee... k'dee... k'dee-dee-dee, or a repeated deet-deet-deet-deet. Another distinctive call is a long stuttering trill, which may accompany courtship, aggressive encounters, and alarm situations.