Ruby crowned wren
1827-1838
John James Audubon brought these tiny birds to life with his signature dramatic flair, capturing a male flashing his hidden red crest—a 'ruby crown' usually kept under wraps unless he's showing off or feeling feisty. Unlike the stiff, profile-view birds of earlier scientific illustrations, Audubon posed his subjects in dynamic, natural action, often after wiring freshly killed specimens into position to get the perfect angle. Although the text at the bottom labels this a 'Ruby crowned Wren,' modern ornithologists know this little guy as the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a tiny songbird that punches way above its weight class in aggression.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
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