Distraction displays are conspicuous behaviours functioning to distract a predator's attention away from the displayer's nest or young, thereby reducing the chance of offspring being discovered and predated. Distraction is one of the riskier parental care tactics, as its success derives from the displaying parent becoming the focus of a predator's attention. Such displays are prominent in birds, primarily shorebirds, but the last comprehensive review of distraction was in 1984. Our review aims to provide an updated synthesis of what is known about distraction displays in birds, and to open up new areas of study by highlighting some of the key avenues to explore and the broadened ecological perspectives that could be adopted in future research. We begin by drawing attention to the flexibility of form that distraction displays can take and providing an overview of the different avian taxa known to use anti‐predator distraction displays, also examining species‐specific sex differences in use. We then explore the adaptive value and evolution of distraction displays, before considering the variation seen in the timing of their use over a reproductive cycle. An evaluation of the efficacy of distraction compared with alternative anti‐predator tactics is then conducted via a cost–benefit analysis. Distraction displays are also found in a handful of non‐avian taxa, and we briefly consider these unusual cases. We conclude by postulating why distraction is primarily an avian behaviour and set out our suggestions for future research into the evolution and ecology of avian distraction displays.

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鸟类注意力分散显示：评论

分散注意力的显示是明显的行为，其作用是将掠食者的注意力从展示者的巢中移开，从而减少了后代被发现和被掠食的机会。分心是高风险的父母照顾策略之一，因为它的成功源于表现良好的父母成为掠食者关注的焦点。这种展示在鸟类中尤为突出，主要是在水鸟中，但是上一次对注意力分散的全面回顾是在1984年。我们的综述旨在提供有关鸟类注意力分散展示的最新信息，并通过强调一些内容来开拓新的研究领域。探索的关键途径以及可以在未来研究中采用的广泛的生态学观点。首先，我们将注意力转移到注意力分散显示器可以采用的形式灵活性上，并概述已知使用反捕食者注意力分散显示器的不同禽类，并检查使用中特定物种的性别差异。然后，在考虑在繁殖周期内使用它们的时机上所看到的变化之前，我们先探讨分散显示的适应性价值和演变。然后，通过成本效益分析对分散注意力与其他反捕食者策略的功效进行评估。在少数非禽类分类中也可以找到分散注意力的显示，我们简要考虑这些异常情况。我们通过推测为什么干扰力主要是鸟类行为来得出结论，并提出我们对鸟类干扰力显示器的进化和生态学未来研究的建议。