It prefers to inhabit open areas and is somewhat abundant. Killdeer nest on the ground in a nest lined with grass. Adults protect their nests by feigning injury when a predator approaches. The parent tries to lure away the predator by dragging its wing along the ground and hobbling away from the nest site. When the danger passes, the bird flies off.
Tracks show three toes facing forward and one back.
They are small, but abundant along water's edge in many places. Sometimes the tiny toe that faces backward does not leave an imprint in the trail. The line running through the middle of the photo is a worm track. Killdeer scat found with its tracks. The silty mud along rivers is a good place to find the tracks of these birds.