Discovering Grassland Birds: The Killdeer

What type of landscape do killdeer prefer to live in?

• Beaches

• Mountains

• Open grasslands

• Forests

What is a killdeer's preferred habitat?

• Deep oceans

• Forests and mountains

• Grasslands and developed landscapes

• Urban areas only

What makes killdeer chicks different from many other bird species right after hatching?

• They are blind

• They stay in the nest

• They can fly immediately

• They can run around

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CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.1.2

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.2.2

What is the term used to describe species like killdeer that are independent from birth?

• Precocial

• Migratory

• Nocturnal

• Altricial

How long is a killdeer's incubation period?

• More than 2 months

• About 1 week

• About 2 weeks

• Almost a full month

What is a disadvantage of killdeer's long incubation period?

• Eggs hatch too quickly

• Parents cannot defend the territory

• Higher risk in breeding

• Chicks are less independent

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CCSS.RI.1.5

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.K.5

Why do killdeer have a smaller clutch size?

• Because of higher per-egg investment

• Due to their diet

• To save energy

• To fly easier

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CCSS.RL.1.3

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.K.3

How do killdeer parents care for their chicks?

• By teaching them to hunt

• By singing to them

• By carrying them in their beaks

• By defending them and their territory

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CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.1.2

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.2.2

What did the killdeer chicks do a week after they were first observed?

• They returned to the nest

• They started flying

• They were more confident

• They left their parents

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CCSS.RI.1.2

CCSS.RI.2.2

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RL.1.2

CCSS.RL.2.2

What behavior did the killdeer chicks show that indicated their growing independence?

• They started to build nests

• They ventured further from their parents

• They began to fly

• They started hunting in packs

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CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2