Read to LearnWhat Is an Adaptation ? Tools work in different ways . Some tools are good for picking up small things . Other tools are better for picking up large things . Parts of organisms also work like tools . A bird uses its beak as a tool for eating . Different break shapes are suited to different kinds of food . The honeycreeper is a kind of bird . There are different types of honeycreepers . Each type has a beak that is shaped differently . Each beak shape is an adaptation . An adaptation is a special characteristic that helps an organism survive . How do different kinds of beaks help honeycreepers survive ? Honeycreeper beaks are just one example of adaptation . There are many others . In fact , most organisms have a variety of adaptations . Each adaptation helps the organism survive . How is the wool of a lamb an adaptation ? It keeps the lamb warm . A warm coat helps the lamb survive cold winter days . A giraffe ' s long neck is an adaptation , too . It helps the giraffe find food in high places . Finding food that others can ' t reach increases the giraffe ' s chances of survival . A frog has a long , sticky tongue and powerful legs . Both of these adaptations help the frog catch insects for food . The bright coloring of a flower is an adaptation . It attracts insects that help the flower reproduce . By reproducing , this type of plant survives . HeneycreepersEach type of honeycreeper has one of these three basic beak shapes . A long , curved beak is good for eating nectar from flowers . A beak that is short , thick , and strong is just right for eating seeds and nuts . A straight beak is good for eating insects . The bright coloring of a flower is an adaptation . The Eruopean Grass Snake can pretend it is dead . How does this adaptation help it survive ? A frog ' s sticky tongue and powerful legs are adaptations . How Can Adaptations Protect Living Things ? Not all adaptations are important for getting food or reproducing . Many adaptations help protect an organism from harm . For example , many animals have body colors or shapes that match their surroundings . Look at the animals on this page . When these animals stay still , a predator may not see them . These are examples of camouflage . Camouflage is an adaptation that allows an organism to blend in with its environment . It increases an animal ' s chance for survivla . A white rabbit blends in with the snow , while brown rabbits match their forest habitat . In some cases body coloring can also hide a predator from its prey . The stripes of a tiger allow it to be unseen as it stands in tall grass . Can you point out the pipefish among the plants ? This fish holds its body straight up and down . This Indian leaf butterfly is protected by camouflage . With its wings folded up , it looks like a dead leaf . Can you point out the butterfly ? Some animals are protected because they look like other animals . Looking like another organism is called mimicry . Sometimes a gentle animal may look like a predator . For example , a snake and a snake mimic caterpillar look very much alike . one animal is a dangerous predator . The other is a harmless plant eater . Animals that eat caterpillars may avoid this one because it looks like a snake . The wings of the grey butterfly have sports that look like eyes . These eyespots look like the eyes of a powerful hunter , the owl . A small bird looking for a meal would probably fly on by the butterfly . ? How can color protect some living things ? The snake mimic caterpillar avoids being eaten by looking like a real snake . If you saw this butterfly among the leaves of a tree , what would you think you were looking at ? What Do Animals Do to Defend Themselves ? Animals have many ways of defending themselves against danger . Some animals have a keen sense of smell or hearing . These senses warm them of a nearby predator . Using these senses , the animals can hide or escape . Some animals defend themselves by fighting with strong claws , sharp teeth , and powerful jaws . Others have special ways of chasing away a predator . These defenses are all important adaptations . Some defenses are learned by animals . Other defenses are done by instinct . Instinct is a way of acting that an animal is born with . It does not need to be learned . The pictures here show instinct . ? How do animals defend themselves ? The porcupine fish inflates itself into a prickly ball when it senses a predator . When a pill but needs to defend itself , it curls up . When the frill - necked lizard of Australia is attacked , it raises the stiff skin around its neck . It hisses and lashes its tail . It scares off even large snakes . How Do Animals in Different Environments Adapt ? Organisms have adaptations that help them survive in their environment . Deserts are hot , dry places . There is little rain . Water is often deep underground . Wolves that live in a hot desert have thin coats . Cacti that live in a desert have thick stems to store water . The tundra is a cold , dry places . 수정 하 겠 습니다 .