A week ago, I was mowing the pasture and, while I tried to watch for bunny nests and other things, today I encountered a Killdeer.

The Killdeer is also called Charadrius vociferus.

The loud machine I drove loomed near and the little bird just froze and looked up at me in despair.

At first, I thought something was wrong with it, maybe it was injured.

This was not a bird I had ever encountered.

I moved the mower away and turned it off.

As I walked near it gave me a good warning and then flew as if a wing was unable to flap in synch.

So, I had to learn about this little angel.

What’s in a name? KILLDEER

Apparently, it gets the name because the sound it makes sounds like kill-deer or kill-dee, to which I completely disagree with this assessment. Maybe the dee part, but the sweet sounds of this bird, even its warning, doesn’t match its name…. or does it? Is this part of its camouflage, the curiousness found its way through a human’s eyes and ears into the naming.

The killdeer doesn’t make traditional nests, they just stop in the most random places and set up shop. This definitely seems to leave them open to predators more easily.

The one in my yard thankfully is in the best possible place to survive being seen by my dog and yet I’m considering putting fencing up to keep my dog and other animals away as it will be up to 3 weeks upon hatching before they can fly.

The reason its name might be appropriate is because it is a clever bird. When I thought it might be injured, what I was really witnessing was its “fake out” of a broken wing, which it enacts to draw predators to it and away from the eggs.

This creative display shows how incredibly brave and protective this little bird is, like a rooster, willing to die to protect the babies.

I’ve walked over and checked on her daily.

She’s granted me a bit of trust, no longer sending up her alert signal or flying away.

Today we walked side by side as she assessed if I was danger.

The grass in the area of pasture she laid her eggs is tall and she is perfectly camouflaged. Looks like I won’t be mowing for a while. :)

She’s helped me remember some important lessons:

Adaptability:

Our ability to adapt to our environments sometimes means putting on our camouflage, invisibility cloak or blending in. There is a time for not standing out or drawing attention to ourselves, especially when protecting that which we hold dear. We are always part of our environment, not separate from it, this is why when I work with a client in Feng Shui, we examine not only the elements within a space, but also which element is ignited in us within the given surroundings. What is out of balance? What needs attention? What needs deflection?

Deception:

The Killdeer reminds us that deception CAN be used for good. She pretends to be injured, NOT to harm anyone but as a form of protection and self-defense. In a world that is built on manipulation and deception, we must understand how to utilize this as an art form of repelling that with which we do not want in, especially in times of emergency or crisis. A stark reminder that trust must be earned, not freely given.

Distraction:

Similar to deception, the Killdeer is exceptional at diverting attention for good. She draws the predators (or perceived predator) or threat’s eyes away from that which she is protecting, the eggs. This is used in media and propaganda often, while the predator’s utilizing manipulative means to divert from what they “don’t” want you to see for their gain, the Kildeer uses this to increase the odds of the eggs hatching and for survival of her flock.

Sacrifice:

The Killdeer is willing to sacrifice herself at the hope of bringing new life forward. This instinctual mechanism is not about fear, but love. What do you love so much (beyond yourself) that you are willing to make sacrifices, even death, to honor that sacredness of life and value in relationship?

I don’t know if the Killdeer has a partner. From what I’ve read they usually trade off protecting the nest, finding food, and the partner is nearby. I have not been able to locate the second one.

Nature is so beautiful. I’m in awe to witness this magnificent bird and doing everything I can to keep her safe through this process, while also letting nature do what it will. I do not want to interfere beyond a casual and brief exchange to see if she’s still there in the mornings. A temporary fence may also draw attention, so I’m evaluating what is the best step.

When animals, especially those out of our normal day to day experiences, show up, it’s an invitation for humans to listen up, for they know the ways we’ve forgotten, they know the truth of the circle of life, they are deeply primal, instinctive and intuitive…. they help us far more than we seem to help them.

So, ask yourself: Where are you being deceived in real life and playing the fool for someone feigning victimhood? While the Killdeer uses this technique for survival, so, too, can we learn the importance of doing what must be done when a predator is nearby. Predators look very different in the land of humankind…. not always kind but sometimes very much so…. not always playing on the same field (or pasture) of awareness. So, the Kildeer asks us to be more aware of what lurks, what wants to take, what waits in the wind to pounce?

Bird to the wise…. the Killdeer’s name must be part of its cover…”sounds like a predator” but is merely a magnificent beauty that has indeed earned those most striking stripes.

If you feel compelled, send the Killdeer a prayer or good wish, I’m sure rooting for those babies to hatch and make flight. The odds may not be stacked in her favor, but I know miracles can happen and life can surprise us.

May we all find the creativity and courageousness of a Killdeer!

Birdy Blessings,
Angela

According to Wikipedia:
The killdeer was described in 1758 by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae as Charadrius vociferus,^[2] its current scientific name.^[3] Linnaeus' description was based on a 1731 account of it by English naturalist Mark Catesby in his The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands,^[2] where he called it the "chattering plover".^[4] The genus name Charadrius is Late Latin for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate Bible. This word derives from the Ancient Greek kharadrios, a bird found in ravines and river valleys (kharadra, "ravine"). The specific name vociferus is Latin, coming from vox, "cry", and ferre, "to bear".^[5]

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