Cuculo beccogiallo
1827-1838
John James Audubon was obsessed with showing birds in action, rather than as stiff museum specimens. In this dramatic scene, one Yellow-billed Cuckoo calls out with its beak wide open while its companion devours a massive swallowtail butterfly. Notice the holes in the large green leaves—Audubon loved adding those little imperfections to make the habitat feel wild and lived-in. This plate comes from his monumental 'Birds of America' project, where pages were so large they were nicknamed 'Double Elephant Folios,' requiring special viewing tables.
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