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Why do penguins wear tuxedos? |
Birds
With all of their shiny black and white feathers, penguins look like they’re wearing tuxedos, don’t they? Penguins’ backs are covered with black feathers while their bellies are covered with white feathers. This coloring is called countershading, and all penguins are protected by the camouflage it provides.
Thanks to countershading, penguins blend in with the water when they swim. So how does a black and white animal disguise itself in the water?
The bottom of the sea is darker than the top of the sea, since the top is closer to the sun’s light. Hunting animals are called predators, and animals like seals and sharks hunt penguins in the water. If one of these predators is above a penguin, it’s looking down at both the swimming penguin’s back and the deeper sea water. Since both the water and the penguin’s back are dark, the penguin is difficult to see!
On the other hand, if a predator is swimming below the penguin, it’s looking up at both the penguin’s white belly and the water near the surface. The light color of the belly is similar to the brightness of the water. The penguin blends in with its surroundings! Now that’s some fancy camouflage for our “tuxedo-wearing” friends!
Countershading also helps camouflage the penguin as it hunts for its prey, or the creature it wants to eat. If it’s hard for the prey to see a swimming penguin, then its easier for the penguin to catch its dinner, which may include fish and squid.
