#1 Long-eared Owl- Can’t See or Hear it Coming
Animals With Camouflage: Long-eared Owl
The Long-eared owl, apart from being very well camouflaged, has the ability to fly silently, so that it approaches the prey completely unnoticed.
©Feng Yu/Shutterstock.com
Like nearly every other species of owl, the long-eared owl comes in shades of brown, black, gray, and buff, the better to let it blend into the woods where it lives. Even during the daytime, it is hard to see as it rests in the crotch of a tree. Found in North America, Eurasia, Europe, and Asia, this bird augments its animal camouflage with near-silent wingbeats. The upshot is the prey neither sees nor hears the bird coming.
The long-eared owl resembles the great horned owl in that it has ear tufts, but it’s smaller and slimmer. This doesn’t mean it’s a small bird. The owl can be 12 to 16 inches long and have a wingspan of about 3 feet. Its conservation status is Least Concern, though there are areas where its population is declining. Learn more about the long-eared owl here.