Killdeer Swimming
Killdeer Swimming
On December 20, 1938, as I was driving along the Harkins road onehalf mile west of Watsonville, California, I saw a Killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus) cross the road with one wing dragging. As it was the wrong time of year for the bird to be simulating injury, a stop was made and the bird pursued. It ran for a way along the bank of a drainage ditch, then seeing that it was about to be captured, ran down the bank and unhesitatingly entered the water. In spite of the broken wing, the bird floated as trimly as any bird that normally swims. The feet were seen working steadily and to my surprise the bird moved readily upstream against a moderate current. The whole performance surprised me, as I had watched the Killdeer for years, but had never seen it enter the water and swim before, but then I had never before seen it necessary for the bird to resort to that medium for escape.
Albert C. Howbecker
Watsonville, California, March 19, 1940
