Barry Kent MacKayArt by Barry Kent MacKay
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Art and Photo Presentation

In this section are copies of original works of art. All of them are dedicated to helping us live according to unconditional love and compassion, which is the foundation of our peaceful means of bringing true and lasting peace to all of God's creatures, whether they are human beings or other animals.

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)


Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
(Artwork - 133)
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

This painting, which was commissioned as a birthday gift for a big fan of the species who lives in the central Atlantic D.C. – Virginia region in the middle of the species’ range, was done last spring. It shows a member of the family, Paridae, which includes tits, titmice and chickadees. Actually the correct plural, I seem to recall reading, is "titmouses", but "titmice" is now accepted (and indeed, my Spellcheck objects to "titmouses").

Where I live, in southern Ontario, the Tufted Titmouse reaches the northern end of its range, and they are fairly rare in most areas I visit, although where they do occur they are easy to see and here. Once you cross into the U.S., going south, then become more and more common. They are found throughout most of the eastern of the United States, east of the prairies, and are mostly non-migratory. Their range is slowly expanding northward.

They are a species that, like other members of the family, is easily attracted to bird feeders, eating peanuts, suet, sunflower seeds and other foods often put out to feed birds. They eat many insects as well as seeds and berries, and in the winter they will join "mixed flocks" that constitute other species of songbird such as chickadees, nuthatches and sometimes kinglets, plus woodpeckers, and the odd other species.

Pairs may form year-round bounds. They nest in bird houses, or in natural cavities as I have shown, although they have been known to dig their own nest holes into soft, rotten wood. Females do the incubating but both parents care for the young. In the south, where seasons are longer, there may be two broods with the young of the first helping tend to the feeding of the second brood. I have shown a nest with the young about to fledge, but they will continue to be cared for by their parents for another few weeks. They sometimes use the same nest for consecutive seasons, and will roost in cavities or nest boxes on winter nights.

This was a commissioned painting, 10 by 8 inches, in acrylics on compressed hardboard, done approximately life size.

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Copyright © Barry Kent MacKay
Barry describes himself as a Canadian artist/writer/naturalist.
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