A hunter in Ohio was fined nearly $400 for shooting and killing a protected bird species.

CBS affiliate WHIO reported, citing a spokesperson from the Ohio Division of Wildlife, that the hunter was fined for killing a killdeer in Darke County.

The news outlet reported that state wildlife officers received a tip that a hunter shot and killed a killdeer on the first day of dove season. Investigators reportedly found the bird in the bushes near the hunter. 

The hunter was issued a summons for taking or possessing a nongame bird, WHIO reported. They were found guilty in Darke County Municipal Court and issued a fine of $349. The hunter was not identified, the TV station reported. 

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, dove season began on Sept. 1 and ran through Nov. 9. A second season is scheduled to open from Dec. 13 to Jan. 1, 2026.

What is a killdeer?

Killdeer are "graceful" plovers that can be found running around lawns, parking lots, golf courses and more, according to Cornell University Lab of Ornithology. They get their name from their loud call that sounds like their name: "kill-deer."

They have long wings and a tail, with the adults having two black breast bands, according to Cornell. They are 9 to 11 inches long and have a wingspan of 19 to 21 inches.

Killdeer are year-round residents of the southern United States and the Pacific coast, but they breed in more northern parts of the U.S., including Ohio and Pennsylvania.