Collection: Avian Assortment

AVIAN ASSORTMENT

As one of the most colorful classes in the animal kingdom, birds (or aves) come in an assortment of shapes, sizes and colors. The bird class adapts a colorful spectrum of feather varieties, as well as some unique features and lifestyles, to adapt to the ever-changing natural world.

Avian Assortment, acrylic on canvas, 2020. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8" 

Golden Pheasant

Golden Pheasant, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) is a beautiful pheasant which is native to mountainous forests in China. Adult males have the species' distinctive golden-colored plumage along with some blue and green feathers on some parts of the body. Although they spend most of their time on the ground, these pheasants could also fly in short distances.

Hoatzin

Hoatzin and Macaw, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is an unusual bird which inhabits the northern and western regions of the Amazon rainforest in South America. It had a distinctive crest of bright orange feathers on its head and a bare blue face. It is a herbivorous bird that feeds on leaves and fruit, and its young are known to have claws on two of their wing digits, which enable them to climb branches. The macaw that sits next to it in the painting is a scarlet macaw.

Great Hornbill

Great Hornbills, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The great hornbill (Buceros bicornis, also known in Malay as Enggang Papan) is one of the largest hornbills and can be found in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Thailand, Myanmar, Indochina and India. Females of the species are generally smaller than males and have blue instead of red eyes. The flower in the painting, the Rafflesia, can also be found in Sumatra.

Lilac-Breasted Roller

Lilac-Breasted Roller, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus) is a small bird that lives in the African grassland. Rollers are so-called because they have been observed to perform aerial acrobatics during courtship. This species is officially considered to be the national bird of the African country of Kenya.

Great Horned Owl

Owls By Day, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) the most widespread true owl in the Americas. It can also be called the "tiger owl" for the patterns on its feathers. Many Native American tribes worship this owl for its courage, strength and beauty. In the painting, it is shown next to another owl, the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus). The snowy owl can be found in the cold northern tundra near the Arctic Circle.

Royal Flycatcher

Royal Flycatcher, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The Amazonian royal flycatcher (Onychorhynchus coronatus) is a songbird known for having a crown of bright red or orange feathers on its head. The crown is very rarely displayed, except after mating. Royal flycatchers build very large nests which measure up to 2 meters long.

Secretary bird

Secretary bird, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a bird of prey that normally hunts its prey on the ground. It had an eagle-like body and long, crane-like legs, which it uses to stomp on its victims. It is admired in several countries in Africa, especially South Africa and Sudan, for its awesome appearance and ability to deal with pests and snakes. The bird of prey that flies overhead in the painting is a vulture.

Shoebill

Shoebill, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is one of the largest wading birds, measuring around 140cm in height. It lives in the wetlands of eastern Africa and its most distinctive feature is its oversized beak which it uses to snap up fish. The shoebill's distribution corresponds with the abundance of papyrus plants.

Tragopan

Tragopan, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 8" x 8"

The Temminck's tragopan (Tragopan temminckii) is a member of the pheasant family which can be found in southern China, far northeastern India, northern Myanmar and northern Vietnam. Tragopans can be easily recognized for the fleshy, bright blue and red-marked lappet crest on males. The bird flying overhead in the painting is a giant ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea), a critically-endangered wading bird that lives in Indochina.