Amateur photographer spots Great Grey Owl as it blends perfectly into the bark of a tree 

If you’re looking for an owl, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re barking up the wrong tree…

But look closely and hidden next to the trunk you’ll see an owl, looking right back at you. 

The incredible picture was taken by amateur photographer 45-year-old James S. Batuigas, 45, from Burnaby in Canada. 

The great grey owl can be seen camouflaged against the tree with its two eyes staring right back out.

The picture taken in Canada shows the Great Grey Owl as the bird momentarily turns his head to break its disguise

James S. Batuigas, 45, from Burnaby, Canada, took the snap while heading to his favorite wildlife spot in British Columbia

In another photo of the bird of prey, with its head turned to one side, is almost impossible to pick out against the bark of the tree it is perched up against. 

Batuigas said that he has been taking photographs for 11 years. But it is this latest set which was shared on his Instagram account that has captured the public’s imagination having been liked 90,000 times.    

Batuigas explained how he travelled by for five hours by car to get to the location in British Columbia where he spotted the owl which he only saw by chance. 

‘As a photographer, I love going out and enjoying what nature brings to us,’ Batuigas said. It’s  always relaxing and you can always find a moment of peace with nature. I love the challenge in searching for different owl species every time.

When the owl turns its head to the side, it is virtually impossibly to distinguish it from the bark

Only when the owl turned its head and opened its eyes was it finally able to be spotted 

‘I was planning to look for the great grey owl that day. I was driving on a forest road searching for the great grey owls, scanning every tree hoping to find one during noon time, where they’re usually resting. Then suddenly in the corner of my eye I noticed something moving in the tree trunk, that’s when I realized it was the owl cunningly blended with the bark of the tree.

‘If the owl didn’t look at me, I would have missed it,’ he said. 

‘This is why we can’t see them,’ wrote one person online.

‘You can’t see it, but it can see you,’ added another. 

‘Wow that is camouflage,’ tweeted another user.  

‘Crazy how well it blends in,’ observed one social media user. 

‘This is why we never see goddamn owls,’ said another.

The Great Grey Owl can be found across North America, Europe and Asia.

The birds often camouflage themselves against an almost-identical backdrop, which allows them to scan the scene for prey – including voles, squirrels and  without being spotted.

The amateur photographer drove to the place where he found the owl for five hours, but then happened to see the bird

Those commenting on the photograph on social media expressed their amazement at the pic