To see them as symbols in art and society, one only has to look back to the Egyptians and their portrayal of falcons, herons and geese in gold and stone carvings many centuries ago. Birds have long appealed to humans and today they are a significant part of our iconography, emblazoned as they are on the flags of various nations, coins and paper currency, national crests, corporate logos and more. It is to the artistic depictions of birds that I am drawn.
My own interest in painting birds was influenced by the work, style and execution of Chinese artists from the 10th century. Their depictions were not intended just for the benefit of science, but rather to convey respect and recognition of birds for a number reasons – symbolism, fertility, freedom, faithfulness, bravery – as encouraged by various emperors. The artists did, however, know exactly what bird species they were painting, and the oriental style of pen and ink and watercolour on rice paper is breathtaking in its economy of line, which has had a great influence on my own style.
It was not until the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries that we were able to fully appreciate the depiction of birds as an art form, thanks largely to the use of steam-driven printing presses that enabled a broad section of the public to access and enjoy books and large monographs about the birds of the world.
Bu hikaye African Birdlife dergisinin September/October 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye African Birdlife dergisinin September/October 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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footloose IN FYNBOS
The Walker Bay Diversity Trail is a leisurely hike with a multitude of flowers, feathers and flavours along the way.
water & WINGS
WATER IS LIFE. As wildlife photographer Greg du Toit knows better than most.
winter wanderer
as summer becomes a memory in the south, the skies are a little quieter as the migrants have returned to the warming north. But one bird endemic to the southern African region takes its own little winter journey.
when perfect isn't enough
Egg signatures and forgeries in the cuckoo-drongo arms race
Southern SIGHTINGS
The late summer period naturally started quietening down after the midsummer excitement, but there were still some classy rarities on offer for birders all over the subregion. As always, none of the records included here have been adjudicated by any of the subregion's Rarities Committees.
prey for penguins
To stem the African Penguin's slide to extinction, government support for optimal no-take zones around South Africa's penguin colonies is critical.
agrochemicals and birds
By the year 2050, it is estimated that 171 million more hectares of agricultural land will be needed to feed a global population of 10 billion people.
arrivals and departures
The Mouse-Free Marion Project is committed to ensuring that breeding seabirds can return to a predator-free Marion Island.
MIDRAND marvel
Gauteng birders don't need to travel far to get their feathery fix. Midway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, Glen Austin Pan has become a favourite patch for this returnee expat.
a journey through the mysteries of moult
As a bird researcher in South Africa’s botanically diverse fynbos biome, I have come to regard bird ringing as part of my journey to understanding moult.