Nightjar Deception, from Pitt T. Maner III
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to see a mother nightjar bird protecting her baby chick at Jonathan Dickinson State Park here in South Florida.
Upon approach of her nest, the nightjar began to hop and roll across the ground like she had a broken wing. The poignant act completely fooled me but an experienced biologist in my company said," look over here" and there on the ground was a perfectly camouflaged baby chick.
The nightjar mother can continue such deception to lure predators long distances away from her nest.