The killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a large plover found in the Americas.

It was described and

given its current scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae.
Subspecies breed from southeastern Alaska and southern Canada to Mexico, in the West Indies,
and in and around Peru. The non-breeding habitat includes coastal wetlands, beach habitats, and
coastal fields. Although it is a shorebird, it does not necessarily nest close to water. Both parents
incubate the young for 22 to 28 days on average. The killdeer primarily feeds on insects, although
other invertebrates and seeds are eaten. It forages almost exclusively in fields, especially those with
short vegetation and with cattle and standing water. It has a range of responses to predation by birds
and mammals, including charging at intruders, which can be fatal for the killdeer. The species is
declining but not yet threatened.