Why does a shorebird appear to have a broken wing?

A shorebird may use a broken-wing display to draw you away from a nearby nest. Turn around and give the bird space.

What should I do when a shorebird appears injured?

Keep people and pets back. Watch the bird from a distance and look for visible injury signs.

Injured shorebird

Give a shorebird that appears injured space

A shorebird that appears injured may be protecting a nearby nest, or it may need professional help. Give the bird space and look for visible injury signs.

Sources checked August 24, 2026: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service nesting-season bird behavior guide (opens in a new tab) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service injured or orphaned wildlife guide (opens in a new tab) and South Carolina DNR wildlife rehabilitation guide (opens in a new tab) .

Your four choices

Give the bird space

Keep people and pets back. Watch the bird from a distance.

Recognize a broken-wing display

A bird may appear to have a broken wing to draw you away from a nearby nest. Turn around to give the bird space.

Look for visible injury signs

Visible signs that wildlife needs help include a broken limb, bleeding, shivering, or a dead parent nearby.

Seek professional help

Contact an experienced wildlife rehabilitator. Do not possess the bird or try to rehabilitate it yourself.

What this page covers

This record gives general guidance for responding to a shorebird that appears injured without possessing or rehabilitating it.

It does not report a local sighting, diagnose the bird, provide capture steps or transport instructions, promise an outcome, or provide a phone number.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service nesting-season bird behavior guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service injured or orphaned wildlife guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: South Carolina DNR wildlife rehabilitation guide (opens in a new tab)

Injured shorebird questions

Why does a shorebird appear to have a broken wing?: A shorebird may use a broken-wing display to draw you away from a nearby nest. Turn around and give the bird space.; Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service nesting-season bird behavior guide (opens in a new tab)
What should I do when a shorebird appears injured?: Keep people and pets back. Watch the bird from a distance and look for visible injury signs.; Sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service nesting-season bird behavior guide (opens in a new tab), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service injured or orphaned wildlife guide (opens in a new tab)
What signs show that a shorebird may need help?: Visible signs that wildlife needs help include a broken limb, bleeding, shivering, or a dead parent nearby.; Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service injured or orphaned wildlife guide (opens in a new tab)
Who should I contact about a shorebird that appears injured?: Contact an experienced wildlife rehabilitator. Do not possess the bird or try to rehabilitate it yourself.; Sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service injured or orphaned wildlife guide (opens in a new tab), South Carolina DNR wildlife rehabilitation guide (opens in a new tab)