mysticislandphoto
Blending in
I realize that at small size most viewers will skip right by this image, but I want to show how well this creeper blends in and how hard such a tiny bird can be to spot and follow.
This brown creeper works its way up a mature arbutus trunk and shows the camouflaging effectiveness of its dorsal plumage.
What I find intriguing is the feather pattern difference between the creepers and the nuthatches. Both are similarly sized birds that share the same ecological niche, only the nuthatches usually travel down the tree trunk as they hunt for food while the creepers move upwards to feed. Why one species evolved such a good camouflage system while the other got a much more obvious colour scheme is a mystery to me, but obviously both evolutionary paths have been successful. Perhaps the colouration is not a feeding advantage at all, but rather a roosting/nesting one.
Blending in
I realize that at small size most viewers will skip right by this image, but I want to show how well this creeper blends in and how hard such a tiny bird can be to spot and follow.
This brown creeper works its way up a mature arbutus trunk and shows the camouflaging effectiveness of its dorsal plumage.
What I find intriguing is the feather pattern difference between the creepers and the nuthatches. Both are similarly sized birds that share the same ecological niche, only the nuthatches usually travel down the tree trunk as they hunt for food while the creepers move upwards to feed. Why one species evolved such a good camouflage system while the other got a much more obvious colour scheme is a mystery to me, but obviously both evolutionary paths have been successful. Perhaps the colouration is not a feeding advantage at all, but rather a roosting/nesting one.