Color matching

Color matching is one of the most basic ways

animals camouflage themselves. They’re able to blend in simply
by matching the color of their surroundings.
The brown colors of this deer helps it blend
in with the landscape in autumn.
This butterfly matches the orange flowers it gathers
nectar from. 
The colors of this red squirrel match the colors
of the fallen leaves on the ground.
This rabbit’s coloring blends in with the dry
landscape.
Can you spot the two kangaroos near the
center of the photo? They blend in perfectly
with the landscape in New South Wales,
Australia.
It can be easy to miss the grasshopper in this
photo since it’s the same color as the blades of
grass nearby! 
This prairie dog blends in so well with the color
of its burrow, it would be easy to miss seeing
it! 
Disruptive coloration
Many animals and insects use more than one
color to help them blend in with their
surroundings. Spots, stripes, and asymmetrical
shapes on their bodies can help break up the
outline of the animal. Here are a few examples:
This toad has greens and browns, helping it
blend in with the muddy, mossy environment it
lives in. 
The spots on this leopard help it disguise the
outline of its body, especially when it’s sitting
in the shadows.
The orange color of a tiger’s fur helps it blend
in with the vegetation of its natural habitat,
and the stripes make it even harder to spot in
the shadows.
The coloring and pattern of the Sykes’s nightjar
make it difficult for predators to see it while it’s
in the nest.
The scorpionfish is a sit-and-wait predator,
using its camouflage to blend in with its
surroundings so unsuspecting prey swim right
in front of it.
The coloring and pattern of this iguana helps it
blend in with the vegetation it lives in.
The female greater sage-grouse prefers to nest
among tall sagebrush, and its coloring helps it
blend in with its habitat.
he pattern on this sea turtle helps it blend in
with the pattern of the sunlight reflecting on
the ocean floor.
Self-decoration
Sometimes animals and insects use what’s
available in the environment around them to
blend in. For example, they may let moss grow
on their shell or attach sea shells to their body
to conceal themselves. Here are some
examples:
Algae can grow on turtles’ shells, especially
when it lives in shallow waters, helping it bend
in with its environment.
Sea urchins sometimes gather shells, rocks,
and other objects, to help it bend in with the
ocean floor.
Decorator crabs conceal themselves by
covering their bodies in animals or plants to
ward off predators.
Masked hunter bugs camouflage themselves
by covering their bodies with grains of sand.
The algae growing on this crab helps it blend in
with its environment in shallow waters. 
Active camouflage
Some animals have the ability to change their
colors and patterns to help them blend in with
their surroundings. Animals such as octopuses
and flounder fish can quickly change their
appearance. Other animals change colors with
the season. This seasonal variation helps them
blend in with the environment at different
times throughout the year. Here are some
examples of active camouflage:
Certain types of octupus can change the color
and pattern of their skin by controlling the size
of their cells.
Chameleons change the colors and patterns on
their body to help regulate their body
temperature and to send signals to other
chameleons, but the colors and patterns can
also help them blend in with their
surroundings.
The Artic hare grows different colored fur
depending on the season. In the summer, its
fur is brown or grey.
In the winter, the Artic hare’s fur is white to
help it blend in with the snow
The Arctic fox is another animal that grows
different colored fur depending on the time of
year to help it blend in with its surroundings.
Peacock flounders can change their color and
pattern in just eight seconds.
Mimesis
Mimesis is when an object appears to be
something that its not. Prey animals and
insects sometimes mimic leaves, twigs, and
other objects that predators wouldn’t be
interested in. Here are some examples:
This leaf tailed gecko not only matches the
color of the branch it’s perched on, but its tail
looks like a leaf to further blend in with its
surroundings. 
The oakleaf butterfly closely resembles a dead
leaf to disguise itself from hungry birds.
The katydid is another type of insect that
closely resembles a leaf.
These caterpillars look like they’re part of this
evergreen tree.
The cloudless sulphur might be difficult to spot
in the fall since it mimics the color and pattern
of yellow leaves.
Stick insects, or walking sticks, are the world’s
longest insects and they stay still when a
predator approaches to blend in with the
branches.