Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Northen Cardinal

When I was young, my grandparents' home was one of my favorite places to spend time. It was cozy and my grandfather always invented creative projects to calm my energy. One of our special activities was birdwatching. My grandfather had a birdfeeder in his yard, and we would sneak peeks at the feeding birds through the curtains.

One of his favorite birds was the cardinal. I always thought that the Bluejays were equally fascinating with their bright blue feathers and crested head. Dziedz, my grandfather, would remind me that the Bluejays are the bullies of the feeder. They use their size to intimidate the other birds and keep the food to themselves. The cardinals were equally beautiful, but gentler in nature. It was then that I began to appreciate the Northern Cardinal.

In honor of Dziedz, I drew this Northern Cardinal female. I also researched the traits of this beautiful bird. They are known for their song, which can sound like they are saying, "purdy, purdy, purdy". If you want to attract them to your yard, make sure that you have winter and fall fruits on your property, as well as plants, vines, and shrubs. They prefer American Bittersweet, Sumac, and Conifers for cover and food. (Information provided by wikipedia.org)

This drawing is rendered in soft pastels on smooth, white vellum. It is 8 x 10" in size and available for sale.