| abstract | - The false spitfire bird uses an altogether more passive but no less effective form of defense than the spitfire bird. In appearance, it is almost identical to the spitfire bird. Unlike the spitfire bird, however, the false spitfire bird is harmless. The false spitfire bird avoids danger by mimicking the appearance of its more dangerous cousin, the spitfire bird, perfecting its disguise down to the orange flashes on its wings. This phenomenon is known as Batesian mimicry, where one species imitates the appearance of another to benefit from its attributes without actually possessing the attributes itself. This usage of mimicry can keep a false spitfire bird safe from predators like falconflies.
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