There are two main reasons animals use camouflage: to hide from predators or to hide from prey. Camouflage means using different colors of fur, feathers, scales, etc. along with body shape and behavior to blend in with the surrounding area. It’s easy to see examples of camouflage even when looking in your own yard. You can even see many great examples at Wildlife Prairie Park!
Many species of owls have plain colored feathers, such as brown and grey. Why do you think this is? Owls live in trees and forests which have these same colors. They mainly hide from animals bigger than them that they see as a threat, such as coyotes and humans. They do this by making themselves as small as possible against the background of bark, which makes them look more like a tree branch than an owl. They don’t need camouflage to hunt because they are so quiet when flying that prey usually can’t hear them until it’s too late.
Bobcats also have dull colors like owls because they, too, live in forest areas and are often in trees. When you sit in the shade on a sunny day, you often see many dots made from light shining through leaves. This is why bobcats have some spots, to mimic these light specks. They hunt by sneaking up on their prey, such as a rabbit, who barely notices what is hiding in the shadows.
Snakes use camouflage by both using the color of their scales and the shape of their bodies. Depending on where they live, snakes can look like leaves, sand, or branches. Snakes flick their tongues to ‘taste’ the air and start to slowly move in on prey when it comes near. Snakes usually do not chase prey but will strike when it comes within a short distance. This is why camouflage is so important for them.
One of the most well-known groups of animals that use camouflage is insects. This is because they are small and therefore more at risk of being hunted by many different species of predators. Snakes, birds, frogs, some rodents, and bats all eat insects. Katydids look like green leaves, some moths look like tree bark, and walking sticks look like, you guessed it, sticks! Katydids and walking sticks will even sway to mimic how leaves and branches naturally move in the wind.
Spotting the animals at Wildlife Prairie Park can be a challenge sometimes. Since they are native or were once native to Illinois, they are made for living in their current environment. This task might be easier in winter since much of the leaves have fallen exposing some of the animals’ hiding spots. So if you are up for a challenge, make sure to come out and see how many different animals you can find!
