When it became clear cars and people were ruffling the feathers of a bird that chose to lay eggs in a small parking area in front of North Allegheny High School, the school's staff came to the rescue.

Earlier this month, shortly after noticing the bird, a killdeer, and her speckled eggs in the grass just above a small lip in the pavement, several employees cordoned off two prime parking spaces outside the school's lobby with pylons and yellow "caution" tape.

Now Mama Bird, as she is affectionately being called, is safe and sound and as happy as a lark sitting on her nest of three eggs directly beneath an old, white and green parking sign that reads, "Reserved ... visitor."

She really is a unique visitor, joked one custodian on a warm, sunny day last week as he and other employees checked on the school's temporary mascot.

Environmental science teacher Gil Pielin agreed the bird chose a great place to nest and then said a reserved teacher parking spot would have been equally appropriate.

"I'm filming her for my [school] kids," Mr. Pielin said. "So she really is a teacher."

A school secretary first noticed the bird on July 1 and Mr. Pielin identified it as a killdeer, a species of bird that often nests on the ground, usually amid rocks.

When cars and people started bothering the bird, custodian Rick Gapsky came out and took a look.

"When I saw Gil, I knew it had something to do with saving wildlife," Mr. Gapsky said.

Of all the things he has to do at the school, fixing up an impromptu nesting ground for a bird was a first.

"I can't say I've ever had to do that before," Mr. Gapsky said, smiling.

For weeks the school staff has watched Mama Bird and her mate care for the eggs through blistering heat, windy days and downpours.

They check on her every day and try to let her know she's welcome.

"Yes, we talk to the bird," admitted school receptionist Diana Steckel, with a chuckle.

"Hi Mama," Ms. Steckel said as she approached Mama Bird last week. "You're such a pretty mama."

Mama Bird, noticing the unusual number of visitors, stood up and faced her fans, squawked and puffed out her feathers.

"You're all right," Mr. Pielin told the bird.

The killdeer's tolerance of humans is one of several reasons Jim Bonner, executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, likes the birds so much.

"They're bold and confident birds," he said. "They don't recognize noise and people as predators."

Another reason the killdeer is fun to watch is because they'll feign a broken wing and stumble away from the nest to draw attention away from the eggs, he said.

Killdeer are common in Western Pennsylvania and are often found nesting in mall parking lots, athletic fields and even on the side of airport runways where there's gravel, Mr. Bonner said.

He said he's glad the school staff went to the trouble of making the parking area a good nesting ground for Mama Bird.

"I think it's great they did that," he said. "It's a wonderful opportunity for the students and whoever is up there to observe this bird."

Mr. Pielin said based on when he noticed the first egg, all the eggs should hatch between the end of the month and Aug. 3.

Unlike most other birds, killdeer chicks come out walking and ready to feed and will probably follow the mother bird around for a week or so before they start leaving the nesting area.

The sooner they hatch the better, though, because band camp starts Aug. 4.

"There will be 300 kids here then," Ms. Steckel said. "I hope [the chicks] like music."