It is also a defining part of the lives of many plants and animals and frequently tells an environmental story. Camouflage is a common characteristic of animals whose lifestyles require that they not be easily seen. The spotted coats of adult leopards and baby deer help them hide from the eyes of other animals, prey in the case of leopards, predators in the case of fawns. Although their reasons for having spots are different, both are clearly adapted for blending into particular habitats. Numerous examples exist for which the environment dictates the color pattern, whether for protection of a prey species or for stealth in a predator.
Color is a common feature among birds, most of which can see color, for purposes of breeding.
Male goldfinches turn bright yellow and male indigo buntings turn bright blue in the spring during the mating season. Redwing blackbird males display bright red and yellow epaulets on their wings. The females of the latter two species are an unimaginative brown, and the female goldfinch is a much paler yellow than the male. Many fish are also distinctive in their color differences between the sexes. The brilliantly colored darters of the southeastern streams are dramatic in their contrast between males and females.