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kildeer

kildeer

9.9
A bird with long legs found near water and fields that makes a loud call
  • noun
  • /ˈkɪlˌdɪr/
  • US
translation icon : kildeer
  • While walking by the lake, I heard a kildeer calling out its distinctive sound.

Examples

  • I saw a killdeer by the lake yesterday.

  • The killdeers are nesting near the field.

  • A pair of kildeers ran swiftly through the field at sunset.

  • The loud, piercing call of the kildeer echoed across the wetlands.

  • We spotted a kildeer protecting its nest by pretending to have a broken wing.

  • The kildeer ran across the field, attracting our attention with its unique call.

  • In the early morning, we spotted a kildeer near the water's edge, making its characteristic noises.

Synonyms

plover
vskildeer
6 8.1

A small to medium bird with a short straight beak that walks in shallow water on shores

is the single North American species with a loud distinctive call
killdeer
vskildeer
  • US
1 9.7

A medium-sized brown and white bird often seen near water or fields that makes a loud high cry

is the usual common name focusing on the loud call
Charadrius vociferus
vskildeer
  • Specialized
9.9

A North American bird that lives near rivers and fields and makes a loud, high-pitched call

is the common everyday name rather than the scientific label
killdeer plover
vskildeer
  • US
9.1

A medium-sized North American bird with a loud, repeating cry that lives near ponds and fields

is the standard common phrasing rather than a general group label

How Noisy

to crow
12 4.0
kildeer
  • US
9.9
gull
27 2.0
robin
  • UK
9 1.0
sparrow
38 1.0

Surface Forms

kildeer singular
kildeers plural

Etymology

Kildeer comes from the bird's loud, sharp call, which people copied as 'kill-dee'. A helpful way to remember the word is to imagine that high cry near water and fields, because the name is simply the bird's voice.