Kryptic Killdeer

[Dan Brown]

Kryptic Killdeer, camo'ed! While leading a small group of birders yesterday, we walked to within 10 feet of this bird without seeing it (we're good!) before it moved. Shot made with shoulder stock mounted Nikon D200, 80-400mmVR at 400, 1/2000sec, f5.6, ISO 400, manual exp, SB800 fill flash -2.0. PP in CS3 with a small crop and a tiny bit of cloning.

Dan Brown

[Sharna Lee]

LOL Your description made me laugh. It's very enlightening to know that even experianced birders miss things too.

I like this shot. I think that the bird blending in makes it more believable as to how you missed this bird.

Good job recovering and shooting this though.

Sharna

aka BooBear

[John Chardine]

Nice example of what in biology is called "crypsis". Woodcock and nightjars/nighthawks are at the top of the crypsis heap I think. Any other image examples out there from the bird world?

[Juan Aragonés]

Nice example of what in biology is called "crypsis". Woodcock and nightjars/nighthawks are at the top of the crypsis heap I think. Any other image examples out there from the bird world?

Here is my contribution to the cryptic guys (see the complete post in http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13742)
This one is an eurasian red necked nightjar, one of the most cryptic species in the bird world. Instead of the pattern of the plumage contributes to make the bird almost unvisible please pay attention to the eyes. In this bird species the birds are black and huge, very conspicuos and the bird keeps them almost closed to avoid being discovered and to increase the look of a dead branch in the litter matter. While you are approaching the bird is possible to see how the nightjar flatten the body against the soil to "vanish" its silouette. By no way this bird is sleeping, she is aware of me but keep the opening of the eyes reduced at the minimun to increase her camouflage.
Please, see the following image http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14193 of a RN nightjar with eyes semiopened to compare how the camouflage is less efective when the eyes are opened. This secon image was made using a telescope and the distance between the photographer and the bird is haigher thatn in the first one. As soon as I approached the bird, she closed the eyes and flattened the body for camouflage.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great examples, here is my contribution: How many skimmer chicks do you see? :)

[Juan Aragonés]

Great examples, here is my contribution: How many skimmer chicks do you see? :)

Yeah, what a great example Axel!!! the second chicks is almost unnoticeable to the eyes. Love this kind of images!

When I was studing the defensive behavior of nightjars I discovered that almost all the time one of the two chicks behave in the same way. Only one was noticeable but the other one... closed eyes, flattened body and motionless. It is very interesting to see exactly this same behavior in other ground nesters like the skimmers. Thanks for posting this one:)

[James Shadle]

Common Night Hawks also hide pretty well.

James

[Juan Aragonés]

James what a fantastic image! I am a big fan of nightjars, nighthawks and thier allies and love to see images of this group of birds. BTW, I love the fact that in this forum it is not necessary to take care about technical data, head turn policy, composition and all the other things we care about in the other forums. Great idea!:)

[Sarah Jessup]

I've just discovered this forum and am loving it.
While the Sage Grouse males are displaying, the hens can be amazingly invisible.
Sarah

[Juan Aragonés]

I've just discovered this forum and am loving it.
While the Sage Grouse males are displaying, the hens can be amazingly invisible.
Sarah

Oh yeah!!! This is a terrific image, one of the kind I most like. It took a time to my eye to find the bird. I would love to see this one on a bigger size because it really looks very nice. BTW, if you like this kind of images try to have a look on the book "Vanishing Act" by Art Wolfe.