You have the eyes of a hawk if you can spot the owl camouflaged in the stone wall
ANIMALS are experts at hiding in plain sight.
That’s certainly been proved in this perfectly taken shot of a tiny owl, which blends seamlessly into a dry stone wall.
Derbyshire-based photographer Village Jim captured the little bird in a series of striking images bound to have people squinting desperately to find it.
Only eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot the small grey bird perched on the wall in one particularly tricky photo.
At a closer glance, the rugged line of grey transforms to reveal the little owl sitting stock still about a third of the way down the stones.
It could be taking a short nap, safe in the knowledge it’s hard to find, or simply surveying its adopted home.
In another shot, the bird is seen on the top of the wall with a few pals.
They are much easier to spot as they jut above the solid line of grey stones, but their matching feathers still blend in.
The family appears to have found the perfect spot to shelter, amongst the ancient wall that snakes through a field.
And it looks like they are quite at home in the surroundings, as the photographer also captured a shot of one of the owls sitting on the roof of an old barn.
Most read in Fabulous
Little owls can be found throughout England and Wales, with some seen in southern Scotland.
They like lowland farmland with hedges and copses, so this Derbyshire field with various forms of shelter is ideal.
Little owls are closely associated with mythology, specifically the Greek goddess Athena and the Roman goddess Minerva – representing wisdom and knowledge.
Camouflage is nature’s gift, designed to keep these creatures safe from predators – and can make them invisible to the human eye.
An owl can be seen hiding in yet another photo captured by Roan du Plessis.
He is a safari guide at & Beyond’s Ngala Safari Lodge, a private game reserve in South Africa, where he lives and works.