Disguise Animals have evolved to look like twigs, stones or leaves. Walking sticks look like twigs. The wings of the Indian leaf butterfly look just like the dead leaves where it rests. Warning colors Animals that taste bad or are poisonous don't want predators to find out after they've taken a bite. Bright, bold colors warn hunters to stay away.
Monarch butterflies taste foul and bright orange lets the world know.
Mimicry Animals look like other animals which are more dangerous or less tasty than themselves. Viceroy butterflies taste great but predators leave them alone because they look like the foul-tasting monarch butterfly. A display of bright colors can help scare away intruders and avoid a real fight. Male birds such as hummingbirds and bluebirds are brightly colored to help defend their territory. Masking Animals gather materials from their habitat to make a hiding place or to conceal their bodies as they move about.