Snowshoe Hare—Summer
Snowshoe hares are well known for their patchy-colored camouflage.

Snowshoe Hare—Fall
Their winter hair grows in patches, rather than showing up evenly.

Snowshoe Hare—Winter
This adaptation makes it difficult for predators to distinguish them from the landscape.

Collared Lemming—Summer
Collared lemmings are the only rodents with coats that change to a white color. They have another interesting adaptation to winter.

Collared Lemming—Winter
As snow starts to fall, lemmings grow oversize claws on the third and fourth toes of their front feet. This allows them to dig tunnels in the snow all winter. Staying below the surface helps them avoid predators while they shovel in search of food. By spring, their intense burrowing wears down their claws to a normal size again.

Ptarmigan—Summer
The ptarmigan (TAR-mih-guhn) is a bird with feathers that change from brown to white, providing camouflage in the snow.

Ptarmigan—Fall
Feathers on their legs and feet help keep the birds warm. Downy feathers close to their skin trap body heat. Just as insulation in a house keeps warm air inside during winter, this bird's natural insulation makes freezing conditions more bearable.

Ptarmigan—Winter
The birds also fly into banks of powdery snow, creating little burrows that are warmer than outside temperatures.

Ermine—Summer
Some animals don't turn completely white, even in the heart of winter. The ermine is one of them.

Ermine Black Tail Tip—Winter
This weasel wears black on the very top of its tail year-round. Why? This black blotch is a valuable decoy during attacks by flying predators.

Ermine—Winter
Studies have shown that hungry hawks have a harder time catching an ermine with a black tip on its tail than they do seizing a weasel that is completely white. When hawks swoop down to attack, the black tip confuses them.