African owls are small birds of the owl family. They are known for their ability to blend into the surrounding vegetation in such a way that they cannot be distinguished even at a short distance. In this photo, taken by Ruan du Plessis, a safari park guide in South Africa, the owl is very hard to find… But it is there.
The coloring of the feathers of the African noctuid (Otus senegalensis) allows it to remain unnoticed among the tree trunks growing almost everywhere in Africa except in the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea coast. Haven’t found it yet? Well…
There it is!
Its ability to camouflage itself with vegetation protects this small bird (its wingspan is only 30 cm) from larger birds of prey and terrestrial predators.
