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Virginia Rail

Virginia Rail line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Virginia Rail full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The Virginia Rail was completed on 7.25.2010. Shorebirds will always be a favorite subject. When the patterns and coloration are especially lovely - like here in the Virginia Rail - I get very excited to draw the subject. I hope that comes out in the illustration. The drawing is based on an image taken by my Flickr friend wildlife photographer Jim Cummings.

Information about the Virginia Rail :

The Virginia Rail is a small, secretive waterbird of the marshes, bogs and swamps (both fresh and saltwater) of North, South and Central America. These birds are rarely seen, but often heard, being the most active at dawn and dusk. They use their long bill to poke around in the mud and water looking for food, which is small crustaceans, gastropods, worms and fish but will also eat plant matter to fortify its diet. The Virginia Rail is considered a game bird, but not often hunted. While their numbers are stable, they are declining in some areas due to habit loss.