Animals in Disguise

photography by Jim Rathert
captions by Charlotte Overby

camouflage (kam' fläzh) n. -any device or action used to conceal or mislead; deception. To disguise (a thing or person) in order to conceal.

People have used camouflage for a long time. Soldiers dress in camouflage uniforms. Stage hands wear black so the audience won't see them moving props. Hunters wear camouflage to help them blend into the woods.

How did people learn to use camouflage? More than likely, people learned by watching wildlife. Animals are experts at hiding themselves. They have varied colors, shapes, sizes and behavior to let them blend into their surroundings and increase their chances of survival.

In general, most animals in the wild see us long before we see them. Conservationist photographer Jim Rathert, however, has spent 30 years trying to do the opposite. Here are some of his photographs capturing animals "in disguise."

In Profile

Brown creepers have the unusual habit of spiraling up and around tree trunks as they search for weevils, ants, moths and spiders to eat. Catch sight of one against a blue sky, and you easily can make out its speckled brown body, white chest, downward curving tail-even the white band over its eyes. Against the bark of a tree, only a faint shadow gives it away.

The only member of the creeper family in North America, brown creepers live in mature hardwood forests. They have small but sharp claws that let them explore tree trunks and the bottoms of branches. "Even though they're almost always moving sort of mouselike on the side of a tree," says Jim, "they're still one of the hardest birds to see against the bark."

Do Not Approach

One of just five venomous snakes in Missouri, the timber rattlesnake has a background color of yellow, tan, brown and grey with brownish-black markings. These colors help it stay camouflaged against a variety of backgrounds.

On a sunlit forest floor covered with leaves and twigs, the snake's brown and black spots help it blend in. Coiled up, it can get "lost" in a pile of blackish-grey rocks. They are shy animals and prefer to stay motionless-camouflaged-and let danger pass them by.

Rattlesnakes often bask on rocks in spring and fall. During the summer, they are mostly nocturnal. Their bite is dangerous, but there are few reported rattlesnake bites in Missouri.

Lichen-ed to a Rock

Lichen grasshoppers live on Missouri's glades and are most abundant in July and August. Even on hot, sunny days in summer, they prefer to lie on bare, exposed rocks in the sun.

They are sluggish, slow to hop or fly, and they are easy to catch. So it's a good thing they blend into the glade environment. They may be light gray, pink or green with dark mottling, depending on whether the grasshopper's habitat has grey rocks, pink rocks or lichen-covered rocks. This one is perched on a bed of lichen. (G. Reese photograph)

The Best Nest

It's easy to step right over a nighthawk's nest. That's because they don't build nests out of twigs or leaves; females lay their eggs right on barren rocks or on bare, gravelly soil in open pastures. In cities, they often lay eggs on gravel-covered roof tops.

Unlike the eggs of their close relative, the whippoorwill, nighthawk eggs are speckled and hard to see. If the female leaves her nest, the eggs are at less risk than the whip-poor will's eggs because nighthawk eggs blend in so well. Nighthawks are active mainly at dusk, when they swoop and dart after moths and insects.

Skin Condition

Several species of treefrogs found in Missouri change color to match their backgrounds. Temperature, humidity, light and, says herpetologist Tom Johnson, even the temperament of the frog seems to affect how their color changes.

"It's complex," he says, "but temperature, their hormonal composition and even things like how well they've eaten and how comfortable they are in a particular environment affects how they change. In general, they strive to match whatever natural background they're on."

This gray treefrog is perched on a honey locust tree. The color patches on its back closely match the flaky bark. During the day, gray treefrogs hide on-or tucked just under-tree bark, in hollow trees and on leaves. They are always active at night. Their breeding season is early April through June.

This Stick was Made for Walking

Walking sticks look like-what else-sticks that walk. They have long, twiglike bodies, angled legs and thin antennae. They cling to branches on trees and shrubs, waiting for darkness before moving to feed on foliage.

Giant walking sticks can grow 5 to 6 inches long. They are green when young-the nymph stage-and turn brown as they mature. Walking sticks have a remarkable ability to regenerate-or grow-new legs if they loose one to a predator. Search for them near oak trees and grapevines. They don't bite or sting.

Stay Put

A female whip-poor-will's brown, mottled feathers, squat body, and flat head make it hard to distinguish her outline from the brown leaves all around her. This comes in handy when she's sitting on her eggs, like this one.

"I visited this nesting spot several times to take photographs. And even though I knew generally where she was, I had to look so closely every time," explains Jim. "I'd make a systematic sweep with my eyes across the forest floor to find her. Eventually she would pop out, sort of like the way a magic eye suddenly jumps out at you."

Whip-poor-wills lay eggs on the ground in wooded, brushy areas. As long as the female is still and hidden by brush and remains on the nest, the eggs are safe. If she flies away, the creamy-white eggs are immediately visible. Whip-poor-wills are nocturnal-their loud, familiar song has kept many campers awake through the night-and generally stay hidden during the daytime.

Chin Up!

The American bittern prefers to stay in marshes and wetlands, walking stealthily through the bulrushes looking for food. But when it senses danger or moves into an exposed, open area, this long-billed, chunky bird camouflages itself by freezing and pointing its bill straight up. Its streaked brown and buff-colored chest helps it blend into the marshy background. Standing so tall, the bird resembles a clump of scruffy cattails or an old stick in the ground.

American bitterns are solitary birds. Usually you'll see one holding its bill level, looking keenly for frogs, small fish or snakes to eat. Suddenly, with a fast forward jab, it will grab its prey.

Ugly Mug

Sculpins are small, bottom-feeding fish that live in Missouri's streams and small rivers. They are choice food for trout, bass, turtles, crayfish . . . even each other. Some anglers catch them in nets to use as bait.

With so many predators after them, its a good thing they don't look like much. In fact, its safe to say they look a lot like rocks. That's because their bodies actually change colors to match their backgrounds. Not only does this help them stay hidden from predators, it may help sculpins ambush their own prey.

Sculpins spend a lot of time lying motionless on rocky stream bottoms, blending into the shadows cast by riffles and snags. They mainly eat aquatic insects.

Spot Me

In their first few weeks, newborn fawns are vulnerable and need all the protection they can get. Does instinctively hide their fawns when they are born and stay close by to nurse them and keep them concealed. Fawns also are equipped with reddish brown fur and white spots. In the photo to the left, the fawn's spots help it disappear in the light brown grass. Squint your eyes at the right-hand photo. Even against a green field, the spots break up the animal's outline and look a little like the daisy fleabane growing beside it.

Some hunters describe adult deer as "ghostly." Deer can walk quietly and sometimes appear to float, especially on misty, November mornings. They often remain frozen and quiet, hoping you'll pass without doing a double-take.

"The woods are vertical-things grow and stand straight up and down. When I'm in the woods hoping to photograph a deer, I look for them by sorting through the woods for horizontal lines that don't fit, like the flat back of a deer," explains Jim. "Of course, its just dumb luck with the fawns."