What Is Camouflage?

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What Is Camouflage?
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How do animals protect themselves in the wild?

• Color or pattern allows the animal to blend into
  the environment

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Wild animals are shy and always hiding. It is
natural for them to be this way.
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They stay behind whatever is available a
thin tree trunk or even a single blade of grass.
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Their colors and patterns match the colors and
patterns of the places where they live.
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Because of this protective coloration, called
camouflage, animals can hide by simply staying
still and blending in.
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Wild deer are the wariest. They blend in with
their environment by lying down and hiding behind
shrubby trees.
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Some birds, called bittern, blend in with
cattails or reeds that grow along shorelines.
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Even better, many animals decide the best way to
hide is to become invisible.
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There are many ways for animals to camouflage or
blend in with their environment! Can you name a
few?
Created by Carol Potter 2005
SRA Open Court Reading 2002 Level 2 Unit 3
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Check out these websites for more information

• Camouflage Field Book
• Insect Camouflage and Mimicry
• BBC - Science and Nature - Beasts - Camouflage
  games
• Camouflaged Animals Coloring/Info Pages -
  AllAboutNature.com
• Disappearing Act
• (right-click on titles to activate
  hyperlink---computer must be online)