EDIT: I fixed the color on the leaves. A friend pointed out that it was too monochromatic, and adding some rose and violet might give them some variation. I think they look better now!

Broad-winged hawks are an under-appreciated species. These incredible little hawks migrate from the northeastern United States all the way to South America. They leave in late August and don't return until April. That is one impressive migration! They also eat pretty much anything they can get their talons on, and unlike most buteos, make their home in thick forests.

I have the pleasure of working with one of these awesome birds, and painted this through inspiration of Chico, an educational bird at Horizon Wings Raptor Rehabilitation and Education Center. Chico fell out of the nest as a chick and broke his wing in such a way that it never healed right, so he was raised as a program bird. He is one of the most expressive birds I know, and he is always the first to spot another raptor overhead. If we see Chico look up, we look up too, and most of the time there will be something soaring high above.

This is a sister piece to Coniferous - another fantasy-touched raptor painting (broad-wings do not have purple-tinged feathers in real life!), but in a leafy environment instead of evergreen.

Watercolor and colored pencil on cold-press Fabriano, 8 X 10 inches