The Pacauan whistlers' wariness of snakes is exploited by the terratail. The markings on its tail mimic to a remarkable degree the markings on the head of the Pacauan bird snake. When threatened by a predatory bird, or indeed by any other predatory creature, the terratail throws its tail into the typical snake-threat posture and utters a realistic hiss. It makes its escape rapidly into the undergrowth while its enemy is still recovering from the shock.