what bird lays eggs on the ground

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How you can help ground nesting birds

Stay on the main tracks to avoid upsetting these unique birds during the ground nesting bird season, which runs from March to August. When you go for a walk with a friend who has four legs, keep them with you and use a lead when needed to maintain tight control over dogs. When parents are forced to leave eggs or chicks, disturbances can cause birds to abandon their nests, and predators like foxes or crows will swiftly investigate. Helping these birds breed successfully is key to their survival.

Etymology and taxonomy edit

Three subspecies are described:

  • C. v. vociferus Linnaeus, 1758: This subspecies is the nominate one and was initially described. It is found in the US, including southeast Alaska, southern Canada, Mexico, and some less widely distributed areas further south, all the way to Panama. It winters to northwestern South America. [3].
  • C. v. Bangs ternominatus [3].
  • C. v. peruvianus (Chapman, 1920)[note 1]: This subspecies of South America is distributed in the extreme northwest of Chile, Peru, and western Ecuador. [3].

The killdeers common name comes from its frequently heard call.[7]

Habitat and distribution edit The subspecies

The killdeer’s nominate subspecies breeds in the United States (including southeast Alaska), southern Canada, and Mexico, with less extensive distribution all the way down to Panama. Some northern populations are migratory. This bird is a year-round resident in the majority of the contiguous United States, located in the southern half of its breeding range [9]. [10] It also leaves its breeding grounds around mid-July and migrates south for the winter, settling in Central America, the West Indies, Ecuador, Colombia, and the islands off Venezuela. Migration peaks in August and September. [9] In February[11], migration to the breeding grounds begins, and it ends in mid-May. [12].

The subspecies C. v. It is believed that ternominatus resides in the Virgin Islands, Bahamas, and Greater Antilles. C. v. Peru, western Ecuador, and far northwest Chile are year-round home to Peruvianus. [3].

During the non-breeding season, the killdeer uses fields, coastal wetlands, and beach environments. [13] It feeds almost exclusively in these fields, particularly in areas where there is standing water, cattle (which probably shortens the vegetation), and short vegetation. [14] The killdeer’s home range during breeding is roughly 6 ha (15 acres), though it is usually larger when the nest is located more than 50 m (160 ft) from water. [15] Despite being primarily a low-land species,[3] it can be found during its autumn migration in meadows and open lakeshores up to the snowline. [12].

FAQ

Which bird lays its eggs on the ground?

Originally Answered: What birds lay eggs on the ground? Ducks, geese, quail, turkeys, pheasants, grouse, swans, loons, shorebirds, killdeer, gulls, albatross, boobys, puffin, and numerous others. The Brush-turkey (Alectura lathami) Builds its own big compost heap, buries its eggs and leaves, parenting done !

What birds lay eggs on the grass?

Game birds such as quails, pheasants, partridges, grouse and turkeys will lay their eggs in nests on the ground. These birds are not the best at flying and create a small depression in the ground then cover it with leaves, grass and even feathers for their eggs.

What kind of birds nest on the ground?

Ground nesters are a diverse group and include the familiar birds such as Killdeer, Northern Bobwhite quail, Meadowlarks (both Eastern and Western species occur in our area), and some waterfowl such as the Mallard duck.

How long does it take a killdeer egg to hatch?

Clutch Size:
4-6 eggs
Incubation Period:
22-28 days
Egg Description:
Buff-colored, heavily marked with blackish-brown.
Condition at Hatching:
Killdeer chicks hatch with a full coat of buffy down feathers and a single black breast band. They can walk out of the nest as soon as their feathers dry.