This bird pretends to have a broken wing to protect its chicks.
Across open fields, shorelines, and gravel paths of North America, the Killdeer races across the ground with quick, nervous steps. Its sharp black chest bands and loud, piercing calls make it easy to notice long before it takes flight.
When danger approaches the nest, the adult performs an extraordinary deception — dragging one wing along the ground and acting injured to lure predators away from its hidden eggs or chicks. Once the threat follows, the bird suddenly flies off at full speed.
A fearless actor of the open ground, yet one of nature’s cleverest protective parents.
Killdeer 👇
