Is that an owl or a bump on a tree?

Count the owls

Owls are notoriously hard to find in the wild. They are secretive and evasive by nature. When they fly, their wings are soundless. The colors of their feathers blend into their habitat. And, in the case of the Great Horned Owl, when the wind blows their feathers, even that movement mimics leaves blowing in the wind.

I used to call this camouflage, but there’s a better word for it: crypsis. Crypsis is an evlolutionary strategy that allows animals in multiple ways to blend into their surroundings. From matching their background through pattern and color to the bold patterns of disruptive coloration to the counter shading of feathers (either a lighter or darker shade on top) to masquerading where they resemble an object like, say, a bump on a tree.

I mention this crypsis mumbo-jumbo to justify that I couldn’t find owl dad tonight at all. I knew he was close. Someone near me found him and even tried to navigate my eyes, but I still couldn’t locate him.

There is so much I don’t know but it is fun to wonder. And, by the way, there is a lot researchers have yet to learn about owls. So if you ever hear an owl and can’t find it, don’t feel too bad. Nature means for it to be that way. (At least that’s what I’m telling myself.)