Killdeer are ground nesting birds. The babies are precocial and able to stand and scamper around shortly after they hatch. They are born with downy feathers and eyes open.

To lure predators from their babies, the parent birds will often fake a broken wing, distracting the would be intruder away from the nest.

Baby killdeer should almost never be removed from their parent's care. Due to the high mortality rate among captive killdeer, it is more appropriate to simply move the babies from harms way, but within ear shot of the parent birds. The stress level of captivity is extremely great on these babies and the appropriate care is essential for survival.

Only as a last resort do we recommend trying to raise baby killdeer. Again, the mortality rate is high among inexperienced handlers and the following directions should be followed closely.

Prepare a large, sturdy cardboard box by lining the bottom with newspaper. Then cover the newspaper with paper towels to make cleaning quick and easy, and provide traction for the baby's feet. Place the box on a heating pad turned to the lowest setting. Killdeer babies must be kept at a constant temperature of 85 - 90 degrees. On one end, place a hand mirror. This is extremely important when raising a single bird. A wash cloth or very small plush toy animal will provide the baby something to snuggle. At the opposite end of the box, place a wide shallow jar lid with water. To the water add a small amount of LIVE AQUATIC BLOOD WORMS, which can be purchased from pet stores specializing in fish. They must be live, not frozen. The movement will attract the baby to feed which is the biggest challenge. As the baby grows you may add small mealworms, but it is imperative that you begin with the bloodworms. NEVER try to force feed a killdeer. Contact with the bird should be kept to a minimum as the stress alone can kill these birds.

As with any release, these birds must be fully flighted, waterproofed, and released in an area with other killdeer.


Remember, every attempt should be made to reunite any baby bird with their natural family. The guidelines we have provided are broad and general for the purpose of providing temporary care until an experienced wild bird rehabilitator can be contacted.

 

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