Piping Plover Bird – Small Waders – 5/2/2017

Two Piping Plovers were photographed at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Select this link to see photos of the Piping Plover

The Piping Plover is a small pale bird, the color of dry sand, with an incomplete dark ring around the neck, and throat, belly and undersides white, with yellow legs, yellow beak with a black tip. In winter the legs and bill are dark. It has a range of south Canada to northeast and central United States. It has a habitat of sand beaches and tidal flats. It has a diet of insects, marine worms, and crustaceans. It moves about in quick fashion and abrupt stops, and is hard to see when on the sand when foraging by pecking.

 

 

Killdeer Plover Bird – Small Waders – 3/18/2012

This Killdeer, with five others, was photographed on a sidewalk in Woodland Hills sub-division, with two ponds and large fields, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Killdeer Plover

The Killdeer is a brown-backed white-breasted belted plover with two black breastbands. It is widespread and conspicuous calling its name out as it flies over farmland and other open country. It is often found around waters edge, and on pastures, fields, and large lawns. The diet is mostly insects including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and spiders. It also eats, earthworms, crayfish, and snails. It forages by walking and running on open ground with head up, stopping to abruptly pick up items on the ground. It calls it’s name as it hurries about. Its range is most of the United States and Canada.

Select this link to see photos of a Killdeer baby Chick family