During springtime, the arctic tundra provides favorable conditions for many birds to live comfortably. Two of these birds are the Willow Ptarmigan and the Savannah Sparrow.
The Willow Ptarmigan is a medium to large chicken-like bird, with a thick body covered in many layers of feathers. In the summer it is a rusty brown color, but the feathers turn completely white in winter. The Savannah Sparrow is a small bird with a thin layer of feathers. Throughout the year it has dark-streaked feathers all over its tan body. Before winter arrives, the Savannah Sparrow flies south to areas such as the deciduous forests of Mexico, and will remain there until the next spring when it will fly back to the tundra. The Willow Ptarmigan remains in the tundra all year.
What adaptations aid the survival of the Willow Ptarmigan during the winter?
The rusty brown color of the Willow Ptarmigan in the winter allows it to hide in trees.
The Savannah Sparrow migrates to warmer climates to avoid predators in the tundra.
The thick body of the Willow Ptarmigan allows it to avoid being eaten.
The white feathers of the Willow Ptarmigan allow for camouflage.
The thick layers of feathers on the Willow Ptarmigan's body provide insulation to keep it warm in the cold winter temperatures. Additionally, the change in color of its feathers from rusty brown to completely white allows for effective camouflage in the snow-covered terrain, helping it avoid predators.
The correct option is:
The white feathers of the Willow Ptarmigan allow for camouflage.
The adaptation that aids the survival of the Willow Ptarmigan during the winter is its white feathers. The white coloration allows the bird to blend in with its snowy surroundings, providing effective camouflage from predators. This adaptation helps to increase the bird's survival by making it less visible to potential threats.
The correct answer is: The white feathers of the Willow Ptarmigan allow for camouflage.
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the adaptations that aid the Willow Ptarmigan's survival during the winter. The passage states that the Willow Ptarmigan's feathers turn completely white in the winter. This adaptation allows the bird to blend in with its snowy environment, providing camouflage from predators such as foxes or wolves. By being able to blend in with the white landscape, the Willow Ptarmigan is less likely to be detected and hunted.
To find this answer, we can analyze the information given about the Willow Ptarmigan's appearance and behavior, specifically its feathers changing from rusty brown in the summer to completely white in the winter. By understanding the significance of this adaptation, we can determine that the white feathers allow for camouflage and aid in the survival of the Willow Ptarmigan during the winter.