Illustration of killdeer
killdeer
noun
kill·deer ˈkil-ˌdir 
plural killdeers or killdeer
: an American plover (Charadrius vociferus) characterized by two black breast bands and a plaintive penetrating cry
Did you know?
This attractive dark-eyed bird has a loud, rather sad cry that to some people sounds like “Kill deer! Kill deer!” Killdeers are not vicious birds. They have no special hatred of deer, and they do not eat venison. The killdeer is simply an animal that got its name from human interpretation of its call.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The bird, a killdeer, had made its ground nest in a high traffic area. 
Bill Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2022 Urso, who was carrying a bird book, showed Mrvan a photo of a killdeer. Alexandra Kukulka, chicagotribune.com, 19 Aug. 2021 Those killdeer eggs, however, completely exposed on the gravel of a shoreline or your driveway, are heavily speckled with dark markings. Jim Williams, Star Tribune, 27 Apr. 2021 But perhaps this particular killdeer and its mate were just hoping to take in a performance by Ghostface Killah. Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 28 June 2018 At the ballfields a pair of killdeer occupied the same area that seems to attract them each year. Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, 9 Mar. 2018 Also, 19 killdeer were lined up along the water’s edge, and a very cold-looking Eastern phoebe surveyed the ice. Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, 11 Jan. 2018 A lovely bird in the plover family, killdeer have black, white and tan on long legs with bright orange eyes. Anna Thomas Bates, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 28 June 2017 A killdeer flew high above, and there were cardinals, a little farther away, sticking closer to the ground. Rick Rojas, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2017 See More
Bill Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2022 Urso, who was carrying a bird book, showed Mrvan a photo of a killdeer. Alexandra Kukulka, chicagotribune.com, 19 Aug. 2021 Those killdeer eggs, however, completely exposed on the gravel of a shoreline or your driveway, are heavily speckled with dark markings. Jim Williams, Star Tribune, 27 Apr. 2021 But perhaps this particular killdeer and its mate were just hoping to take in a performance by Ghostface Killah. Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 28 June 2018 At the ballfields a pair of killdeer occupied the same area that seems to attract them each year. Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, 9 Mar. 2018 Also, 19 killdeer were lined up along the water’s edge, and a very cold-looking Eastern phoebe surveyed the ice. Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, 11 Jan. 2018 A lovely bird in the plover family, killdeer have black, white and tan on long legs with bright orange eyes. Anna Thomas Bates, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 28 June 2017 A killdeer flew high above, and there were cardinals, a little farther away, sticking closer to the ground. Rick Rojas, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
imitative
First Known Use
1731, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
killdeer
noun
kill·deer ˈkil-ˌdir
: a grayish brown North American bird that has a high-pitched mournful call
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