Can You Find This Bird?

The Grey-Green Lichen Bird (or Lichen-Mimic)

A Challenge for Advanced Birders and Beginners Alike --

     The Grey-Green Lichen Bird is found throughout the United States and Canada but is extremely difficult to spot because of its protective colouring. It's success is in large part because hungry animals have little desire to eat a lichen. The Lichen Bird chick resembles other young birds, but as it matures, the bird gets flatter and flatter and both eyes migrate to the top of its head. This movement is known as intracranial optic migration. It is rare, but found in other parts of nature, such as the common flounder. With this adaptation, their camouflage is so good that the actual number of these birds is undetermined.

BIRDER HINT: Look for two eyes staring at you from lichen covered rocks.

Source: Ben L. Sill, Cathryn P. Sill, John C. Sill, Another Field Guide to Little-known & Seldom-seen Birds of North America (Alanta: Peachtree Publishers, LTD., 1990, pages 28-29.)