Diet
What do killdeer eat?
Insects and invertebrates picked from bare ground.
Plovers (Charadriidae)KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
Spring and summer diet
- Beetles, grasshoppers, worms and snails
Fall and winter diet
- Invertebrates on mudflats and lawns
Best feeder foods
- None — bare gravel and short grass are the habitat
Nests on gravel driveways and rooftops and performs a broken-wing act to lure you from the nest.
Where killdeer need winter food
Regions where killdeer are present in the cold months:
Frequently asked
What do killdeer eat?
Insects and invertebrates picked from bare ground.
What is the best food to feed killdeer?
None — bare gravel and short grass are the habitat.
What do killdeer eat in winter?
Invertebrates on mudflats and lawns.
Sources
- Killdeer — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Killdeer life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Killdeer — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.