Killdeer Chicks

Gallery: AvianPosted February 20, 2010115 views4 comments

Nikon D3- 105mm VR - 1/125 sec @ f16 - handheld
Last spring, while mowing an open field I noticed the mother of these Killdeer chicks and unhatched egg as she was performing her distraction display in an attempt to lure me from the nest. She was dragging one wing as if it were broken and squawking to make sure I noticed her. This feigning of injury effectively lures predators away from her nest where she then flies to safety.

Comments

4 comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on February 20, 2010 at 1:17 PM

Very cute, Larry. Wonderful capture!

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Giorgio Gregori on February 20, 2010 at 7:07 PM

Excellent exemple of mimicry. I like all the warm brown nuances.
Giorgio

Registered on November 16, 2007, 87 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on February 20, 2010 at 10:00 PM

Neat story, cute chicks and a great find

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 20, 2010 at 10:05 PM

Wonderful find, you are really teasing me with the spring theme however, I can barely wait. The shadows are a bit deep, another way of saying what Cindy mentioned about the eyes. Not sure if you had the time, but grabbing an umbrella or some translucent plastic sheeting for a makeshift diffusion tent would do wonders to modify the lighting situation.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments