Animal Behavior: Migration, Hibernation, and Camouflage Worksheet

Question 1

Define migration in your own words. Give one example of an animal that migrates.

Accepted Answer

Migration is a regular movement of animals from one place to another, often because of seasons, food, or breeding. One example is a goose flying south for the winter.

Question 2

Define hibernation in your own words. Give one example of an animal that hibernates or becomes very inactive during cold months.

Accepted Answer

Hibernation is a deep rest or very inactive state that helps some animals survive when it is cold and food is hard to find. One example is a groundhog resting in its burrow during winter.

Question 3

Define camouflage in your own words. Explain how camouflage helps an animal survive.

Accepted Answer

Camouflage is a body color, pattern, or shape that helps an animal blend in with its surroundings. It helps an animal hide from predators or sneak up on prey.

Question 4

A monarch butterfly travels a long distance to a warmer area when the seasons change. Is this behavior migration, hibernation, or camouflage? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

This behavior is migration because the butterfly is moving from one area to another when the seasons change.

Question 5

A frog buries itself in mud and becomes very inactive during a cold winter. Is this behavior migration, hibernation, or camouflage? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

This behavior is hibernation or a hibernation-like winter rest because the frog becomes very inactive to survive the cold.

Question 6

A snowshoe hare grows white fur in winter and brown fur in summer. Is this an example of migration, hibernation, or camouflage? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of camouflage because the hare's fur color helps it blend in with snow in winter and with dirt and plants in summer.

Question 7

Complete the sentence: Many birds migrate because they need to find warmer weather, more food, or safe places to raise their young. Explain why each of these needs is important for survival.

Accepted Answer

Warmer weather helps birds use less energy to stay alive. More food gives them energy. Safe places to raise young help their babies survive.

Question 8

A brown walking stick insect rests on a brown tree branch. A bird flies by and does not notice it. Explain how the insect's body helps it survive.

Accepted Answer

The walking stick insect uses camouflage because its body looks like a branch. This makes it harder for predators like birds to see it.

Question 9

Compare migration and hibernation. Write one way they are alike and one way they are different.

Accepted Answer

Migration and hibernation are alike because both help animals survive difficult seasons. They are different because migration means traveling to another place, while hibernation means staying in one place and becoming inactive.

Question 10

A black bear eats a lot of food in the fall before spending much of the winter resting in a den. Why is eating extra food before winter helpful?

Accepted Answer

Eating extra food before winter helps the bear store fat. The stored fat gives the bear energy while it rests and eats little or no food.

Question 11

A fish that lives near the sandy ocean floor has a light brown body with speckles. How does this trait help the fish?

Accepted Answer

The light brown, speckled body helps the fish blend in with the sandy ocean floor. This camouflage can help it hide from predators or surprise prey.

Question 12

Sort these animal behaviors into the correct groups: a whale swimming to warmer waters, a turtle resting through winter in mud, a moth that looks like tree bark, and geese flying south.

Accepted Answer

Migration includes a whale swimming to warmer waters and geese flying south. Hibernation includes a turtle resting through winter in mud. Camouflage includes a moth that looks like tree bark.

Question 13

Why might an animal that stays active all winter need a different survival strategy than an animal that hibernates?

Accepted Answer

An animal that stays active all winter must keep finding food, water, and shelter in cold conditions. An animal that hibernates saves energy by resting when food is hard to find.

Question 14

A young bird is born in the north during summer. In the fall, it follows older birds to the south. What cues might help birds know when to migrate?

Accepted Answer

Birds may use cues such as shorter days, cooler temperatures, changes in food supply, and instincts to know when to migrate.

Question 15

Choose one animal and describe a survival behavior or trait it has. Tell whether it is migration, hibernation, or camouflage, and explain how it helps the animal survive.

Accepted Answer

Answers will vary. A complete answer should name an animal, identify migration, hibernation, or camouflage, and explain how the behavior or trait helps the animal survive. For example, an arctic fox has white winter fur for camouflage, which helps it hide in snow.

Animal Behavior: Migration, Hibernation, and Camouflage

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