Forget lost items and hidden french fries with mind-bending shapes, some of the best optical illusions are found in the animal kingdom. One can witness insects blending in with nature and transforming themselves into leaves, to owls hiding away in the trees, optical illusions are caused when the light and shape of an object or body interact with our brain sense and sight.
There are different types of optical illusions from puzzles to mirages, to camouflage. Camouflage mainly refers to when objects which are two-dimensional or three-dimensional, blend. Several hunters have used this illusion technique to hide from their enemy, or while catching their prey.
Camouflage which is also known as cryptic coloration is mainly a defensive technique that organisms use to disguise their appearance, which is usually blending in with the surroundings.
Organisms mask their identity, movement, and location during the process of camouflage. On the other hand, a mirage is created when a deceptive appearance caused by an object refracts in layers of air having varied densities. Mainly magicians use this principle to deceive our eyes.
In this image look closely and notice the Scops Owl camouflaged in the trees of the popular Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa. If you look closely, you will find an owl perfectly hiding in the picture. In this incredible snap, find the interesting bird in just 10 seconds. Owls particularly make interesting camouflage which makes it hard to locate. At first glance, one including the photographer thinks clicking the picture is a mistake. However, after a while, one can spot the owl hiding away, making it a perfect camouflage illusion.
Upon closer inspection, you will notice that the owl is also blending in with its surroundings and is brown in shade, lying underside or by its face. The interesting shades of their features help them camouflage themselves from the bark of trees.
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Camouflage mainly helps owls remain undetected by their predators and potential prey such as vultures and eagles. As birds see owls as a threat and pounce them away, threatening to kill them. Therefore, it is very difficult to spot an owl with the naked eye. Thus, after scanning the image carefully, if you have not yet spotted the bird, it is blended with the bark of the tree and thus is not entirely visible.
