Birds have had a tough time with humans around. Many species have been hunted to extinction, be it for meat, feathers or just for the heck of it. Passenger Pigeons used to darken the sky by the millions, and they were shot down in the same numbers. The Carolina Parakeet - the United States' only native parrot - was so beloved for its lovely plumage that its population faded away due to overhunting and habitat loss. We nearly lost the Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, and Osprey from the eastern United States from unbridled DDT usage. And there are countless others, some still fighting to survive and others who have already lost. How many other birds will we lose? How many birds can we save, through simple changes in our environmental policies and behavior?

Yet still, despite all our faults, they rise, fall, and rise again. Their ability to survive, however strong, depends in part on us.

This painting is for The Changeling Artist's Collective's Operation Gaia art auction to benefit the National Audubon Society. The auction begins January 20th.

Watercolor on hot-press Fabriano, 5X7 inches.