why are killdeer called killdeer
1 Killdeer get their name from the shrill, wailing kill-deer call they give so often. Eighteenth-century naturalists also noticed how noisy Killdeer are, giving them names such as the Chattering Plover and the Noisy Plover.  Gravel rooftops attract Killdeer for nesting, but can be dangerous places to raise a brood.