#1. Stephen’s island wren 1895. Watercolor. 9″ x 9″.
Also known as the Lyall’s wren, the Stephen’s island wren (Xenicus lyalli) was a bird endemic to New Zealand.
- Interestingly, this bird was flightless as it possessed no keel on its breastbone to attach the muscles necessary for flight. It also had very short wings and loosely attached feathers.
- Because of the extensive island development and widespread predation by the exotic cats, the population of this bird was wiped out in 1895.
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#2. bushwren 1972. Watercolor. 10″ X 15″.
The bushwren (Xenicus longipes) was a bird endemic to New Zealand, known for its very small size, around 9 cm in length and 16 grams in weight. It had brownish plumage with a slightly lighter underbelly, suited to its forest habitat.
- Living mostly in the dense undergrowth, it fed on invertebrates, which it foraged from the forest floor and low vegetation. The species was divided into three subspecies, each inhabiting different islands of New Zealand.
- The extinction of the bushwren was primarily due to predation by introduced mammalian species, coupled with habitat destruction.
- Despite efforts to protect and conserve the species on predator-free islands, the last known individuals died in 1972, marking the end of this unique bird.
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#3. Cuban macaw. Watercolor. 5″ x 7″
The Cuban macaw or Cuban red macaw (Ara tricolor) is an extinct species of macaw, native to the main island of Cuba and the nearby Isla de la Juventud. It became extinct in the late 19th century. The Cuban macaw was traded and hunted by Native Americans and by Europeans after their arrival in the 15th century. Many individuals were brought to Europe as cagebirds, and 19 museum skins exist today.
Resource: Painting by Jacques Barraband, ca. 1800[/color]
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[Editor’s Note: These paintings are the first three in the artist’s planned series of extinct birds.]
