The Bird That Fakes a Broken Wing to Save Its Chicks

Quick Take

• A small bird willingly puts itself between a predator and its nest, and the real risk it takes is far more extreme than it looks. See the real stakes →
• The killdeer's Oscar-worthy performance relies on one key trick to keep a predator locked on target. See how the display works →
• No parent bird ever taught the killdeer this move, so the question remains: where did it come from? Explore the instinct origins →
• The killdeer isn't the only bird running this con, and the species that share the trick reveal something unexpected about how behavior evolves. Discover the shared behavior →

Animals have many unique ways they protect both themselves and their offspring. Killdeer birds have one of the most interesting methods of luring predators away from their chicks. Known as animal deception, killdeer birds purposefully act hurt to draw predators toward them and away from their vulnerable hatchlings. This Instagram post by @leahhoughtailingwoodworking shows one of these birds performing this behavior.

Why Killdeer Birds Fake a Broken Wing

While killdeer birds look cute and innocent, they frequently engage in deceptive behavior. In order to keep their eggs or chicks safe, they practice deception to lure predators away. They do this by making themselves seem like an easy target. As shown in the video above, killdeer often pretend that one of their wings is injured. They’ll stumble across the ground dragging one wing while fluttering helplessly. They even chirp loudly as though they are calling for help. This display is a purposeful way to lure their predators towards them, but they also do it around humans. People can be intimidating, so if a killdeer sees humans near its nest, it may try to draw our attention away as well. So how did these birds learn to do this?

One of the most interesting parts about this behavior is that it is not necessarily a socially learned skill, but rather one driven by evolution. As a natural response to danger, the killdeer fakes an injury on instinct. While chicks may see their parent doing this and learn the behavior, there is evidence to suggest that it’s less learned and more evolutionary. Other ground-nesting bird species perform a similar display. A large study comparing different species like plovers, sandpipers, and avocets found a strong association between ground nesting and deceptive behavior. This is just one example of the many ways birds are willing to sacrifice themselves for their chicks.