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Scarlet Ibis

Scarlet Ibis line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Scarlet Ibis full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The Scarlet Ibis was completed on 5.12.2010. Waterfowl and shorebirds are a favorite subject of mine. Perhaps because living near bodies of water my whole life these animals have often been encountered on my many hikes. The striking colors of the Scarlet Ibis made it a very fun subject to drawing. The illustration is based on a photo by Yehuda Misgav.

Information about the Scarlet Ibis:

The Scarlet Ibis is a species of shorebird that inhabits the mud flats, estuaries, bogs and swamps of northern South America as well as the islands of Trinidad and Tobago - where it is the national bird. They feed on insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans and some plant matter such as algae. They are medium-sized with a body length of about 22 inches and a wingspan of 38 inches. Like some other birds of the tropics they do not migrate. As with flamingoes the bright scarlet coloring of the bird comes from carotene found in the crustaceans on which it feeds.