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Bluebird Male This beautiful bird is an American favorite. To create the original, I made a quick sketch of one of my favorite photographs by Michael L. Smith on acid-free paper then washed the entire surface with transparent watercolor. Loosely applying the paint this way, I felt added to the perkiness of the bird's pose. Never erased, the pencil lines further heighten the "electric" look of the overall artwork. Michael is probably the world's best-known photographer because of his photo "Mad Bluebird" (Check out http://www.madbluebird.com/). Eastern Bluebirds, Sialia sialis, inhabit open farmlands with scattered trees east of the Rockies from southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond to the mountains of central Mexico. All winter long, male and female birds visit a heated water container and one of the bird feeders in my Virginia backyard. I keep their feeder filled with a mixture of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and dried fruits. The original watercolor is in a private collection but limited edition prints and note cards are available. Click here for availability and price.