In a Canadian forest, a photographer embarked on a quest to capture the elusive great gray owl, only to stumble upon a remarkable display of natural camouflage.

James S. Batuigas, a 45-year-old hobby photographer residing in Burnaby, Canada, embarked on a five-hour journey to his beloved wildlife photography spot in a British Columbia forest in May. Little did he know that this trip would lead to an unexpected encounter with a well-concealed owl.

“On that day, my plan was to search for the great gray owl,” Batuigas shared with the Daily Mail newspaper. “I was driving along a forest road, scanning every tree, hopeful to spot one during midday when they usually rest.”

Then, in a fleeting moment, something caught his peripheral vision—a subtle movement on a tree trunk. To his astonishment, he realized that it was the owl, masterfully blending into the tree’s bark.

The owl’s plumage featured a color and pattern that harmonized so perfectly with the tree that Batuigas admitted he might have missed it entirely if he hadn’t turned his head to glance in that direction.

The Owl Research Institute explains, “The colors of an owl’s feathers help it blend in with its natural surroundings and, of course, keep it warm. Feather colors are not the only tricks owls use for camouflage. They employ other tactics to remain concealed.”

These owls often stand upright and adjust their feathers meticulously, making them appear thinner and more challenging to detect. When attempting to conceal themselves, barn owls raise the whitish feathers surrounding their beaks.

The owl’s extraordinary camouflage abilities serve as a shield against both potential prey and keen wildlife photographers.