Bird in my flower bed

We got home from vacation and found a little bird had built a nest on the ground in one of my front flower beds. There are four eggs, and both the mother and father bird seem to take care of the nest.

The mother bird puts on the broken-wing show when anyone goes near the nest. She hops away from the eggs and flaps about as if she were injured. This was a wonderful opportunity to show my boys nature in action, and explain why the mother bird would risk herself to draw attention away from the nest.

Does anyone recognize the species? Here's a photo of the eggs:

And here's a photo of the mamma bird:

I believe they're Killdeers.

I have them running around here too.

I agree that it's a kildeer. They typically next on the ground. This time of year there are a lot of the babies taken to the wildlife rehab center because people see the babies on the ground and think they've fallen out of the next and "rescue" them.

Too cool, you've got Killdeer eggs. Unlike other bird babies, who must be fed for weeks in the nest, baby Killdeer "hit the ground running" so to speak. They are self-sufficient as soon as they hatch. Soon you will be seeing little bitty miniature Killdeer in your yard, and believe me they are C-U-T-E!!!

Carla

Good thing they hit the ground running. So many of our Texas native birds that nest on the ground, such as killdeer, quail and turkey, are all seeing declining numbers in part due to the fireant problem. Enjoy yours!
Annie

I looked up photos of Killdeer, and you're all exactly right: We have a Killdeer nest. Now I finally know what bird makes that peculair sound. I've heard it many times since moving to Texas.

The boys are checking the eggs four or five times a day (from a good distance), and mama never gets tired of doing her broken wing act. We're hoping to catch the eggs hatching.

I just listened to a Killdeer call. So that's what makes that noise.

I see the birds around all the time but never connected them to that sound.

I usually hear it at night, I was beginning to think it was Pterodactyls.