The gravelly ground of the former Houston Wood Preserving Works site piqued the interest of a feathered friend. A killdeer mother has made her nest on the site and laid four eggs.
Killdeer are a type of plover native to the North and Central America and are named for their call where they sound as if they are saying “kill deer.” These beautiful birds are mostly brown with black and white patches on their head, a white belly and two black and white bands across the breast. Killdeer make their nests on the ground out of pebbles and typically lay 4-6 eggs. When threatened by a predator, killdeer adults will pretend to have a broken wing to distract the predator away from the nest.
As a bird protected by the American Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the killdeer and the nest cannot be harassed or removed. We have set up a protective area around the nest to ensure it is not disturbed. The incubation period for the eggs is roughly 22-28 days and after hatching, young killdeer stay in the nest for an additional 25-30 days before they fledge and fly away.
We are happy to host this wildlife at the former Houston Wood Preserving Works site.
