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What Gravel Can Do To Attract Killdeer Birds To Your Yard
By KATE NICHOLSON
Killdeer are native marsh birds known for their distinct “kill-dee” calls and the natural pest control they provide. Instead of food, offer them a safe nesting area using gravel.
Killdeer are not bothered by people and can be found nesting on gravel rooftops and on the ground in parking lots. They forage for insects in golf courses, airports, and backyards.
Lure them to your garden by creating a large, gravel-filled depression just deep enough to prevent the eggs from rolling away. Create these hollows away from heavy foot traffic.
Like many shorebirds, they prefer nesting materials that camouflage their stone-like eggs, so use gravel, wood chips, twigs, white-colored pebbles, and grass in these hollows.
Breeding season for the killdeer starts in March, so have your gravel-filled nest ready by early to late February. You could see as many as three clutches hatch in a season.