first newsletter post!
first 2 weeks of avian august, artistic plans, & some tunes
hello friends! thank you all for inviting me into your email inbox :-) i hope this means of hearing from me will prove itself worthwhile as i learn how to be a Proper Newsletter Author (very sophisticated). these first 2 newsletters are going to be packed to the brim with bird art, so get a drink and strap in. there will be music recommendations waiting at the end.
but first, etsy shop news! - i am planning a big update with new stickers + other new products around mid/late september! more news to come next email :-) you lovely people should also know that i’ll be sharing a newsletter-exclusive discount code when the time comes, look forward to it ;)
since mid-june, i’ve been prepping for the much-awaited AVIAN AUGUST 2023 (hosted by amazing illustrator and bird enthusiast Meesh / @cookiedoves on most platforms) and am so excited to finally get to share all the birds i’ve drawn and hidden away in my art files. you’ll all get the first half here, and can expect the second batch of birds in my next email in the first week of september :-) this year, all the birds chosen are endangered/vulnerable, and i’ll give a short description of each to introduce them all!
the red siskin - a small finch native to Colombia & Venezuela. their population has suffered greatly from habitat loss as well as being captured for the pet trade because of their vibrant coloration and pleasant song.
Spinus cucullatus the flame-breasted fruit dove - a large-ish dove aptly named for its fiery chest plumage, endemic (meaning they aren’t found anywhere else) to the mountains in the island of Luzon in the Philippines. due to their reliance on the old-growth forests of this region for nesting and food, they are highly threatened by deforestation. fun fact - out of the 33 pigeon/dove species in the Philippines, 16 are endemic!
Ptilinopus marchei the Guadalupe junco - a small ashy-grey bird from the sparrow family, endemic to the small island of Guadalupe of the western coast of Mexico. of the extremely small population thought to remain, they are usually found in Guadalupe cypress trees, though they’ll adapt to other dense trees that protect from their biggest threat - feral cats.
Junco insularis the hoiho - a small penguin endemic to Aotearoa (also known as the tarakaka or yellow-eyed penguin) is considered one of the rarest penguins in the world. their Māori name “hoiho” means “noise-shouter” in reference to their sharp shrill call. they are endangered by a wide variety of threats, including but not limited to human coastal activity, habitat degradation, introduced predators, & ocean pollution.
Megadyptes antipodes the alwal - a slender Australian parrot that nests in termite mounds! they have a unique symbiotic relationship with a moth (Trisyntopa scatophaga), wherein the moth lays eggs in the nest with the parrots eggs, and the hatched moth larvae keep the nest clean by eating the baby birds’ poop. the reduction of their grassland habitat is the most pressing threat to their population.
Psephotellus chrysopterygius the Puerto Rican nightjar - first described in 1888 from bones & a single skin specimen, this nocturnal species was considered extinct from the time of its discovery. living species were discovered in 1961, and today they are estimated to have a population of 1,400-2,000. urban development of the dry forests they reside in, and introduction of invasive predators are the biggest threats to their population. my favorite thing about the nightjar group - they lay their eggs directly on the leaf-littered forest floor, no nest required.
Antrostomus noctitherus the mallee emu-wren - a small SE Australian wren named for the resemblance of its long tail feathers to the feathers of an emu. bush-fires in 2014 led to the emu-wren becoming functionally extinct. since then, re-introduced captive bred birds have had some success. their behavior is not well understood, as a result of their dense grassland habitat and their rarity.
Stipiturus mallee the Florida scrub jay - the only species of bird endemic to Florida, this jay is very cooperative with others of its kind. Florida scrub jays have been observed hunting together to catch prey that would be too large for one bird to take on, and fledgling jays stay with their parents for several years to help raise following broods. natural wildfire suppression as well as continuing development projects have constricted the scrub habitat, and they are classified as vulnerable to extinction.
Aphelocoma coerulescens[ the glittering starfrontlet - also known as the colibrí del sol, “hummingbird of the sun” in Spanish, this rare hummingbird is now only found in 2 small limited ranges in Andean cloud forests in Colombia. their population is roughly estimated at 250-2,500 remaining, with mining activity, deforestation, and climate change degrading their habitat.
Coeligena orina the yellow cardinal - the only member of the genus Gubernatrix can be found in fragmented populations in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, & Brazil. their population is in rapid decline most likely due to illegal trapping for the pet trade.
Gubernatrix cristata the Mauritius kestrel - endemic to the southwestern region of Mauritius (an island in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar), this bird of prey was once considered the rarest bird in the world. in the 1970’s, there were only 4 known individuals, and after extensive captive breeding, their populations recovered slightly. unfortunately, build-up of DDT (an agricultural insecticide) has put them on the decline once more. an invasive tree in Mauritius, the traveler’s tree, may be helping the kestrel regain strength as the tree is the preferred hang-out spot of their favorite food - geckos.
Falco punctatus the California condor - a massive New World vulture, and the largest North American land bird, is now one of the most famous modern conservation stories. poaching, poisoning, DDT build-up, and habitat destruction reduced the condors population to 27 individuals. after a successful captive breeding program beginning in 1987, they are currently at 537 individuals, with 336 reintroduced to the wild.
Gymnogyps californianus the brown-capped rosy finch - a medium-sized alpine finch native to the Rocky Mountain regions of Colorado and New Mexico. abandoned mines in the mountains make great shelter & nesting sites for these finches. climate change effects in their habitat are likely the reason for their population decline.
Leucosticte australis the Christmas frigatebird - an impressive seabird endemic to Christmas Island, Australia. they have a 7-foot wingspan, and feed primarily from skimming the ocean surface for fish and ocean invertebrates, allowing them to stay on the wing for days or weeks at a time. they don’t only skim the ocean for food though - they’re also referred to as “pirate birds” for their habit of harassing other seabirds into regurgitating their food. please, please refer to this youtube video to see what i mean. they are critically endangered as a result of introduced disease, a decline in sub-surface fish populations, habitat loss from human activity, marine debris, etc.
Fregata andrewsi the sun conure - these charismatic NE South American parrots are very popular in the pet trade, resulting in their endangered status in the wild. more sun conures live in human homes than in their natural habitat. they are very social birds like many other parrots, and are almost never away from their flock. fun fact - sun conures are the closest extant relative of the now extinct Carolina parakeet!
Aratinga solstitialis
that’s the first half of this years avian august! now for the most important segment - let’s talk tunes. these past few weeks, i have been severely bewitched by the music of Masayoshi Takanaka. he is a Japanese jazz fusion guitarist with the beachiest discography you’ve ever heard. i’ve had EVERYTHING on shuffle this week, but i can’t recommend every song (i am) so here are some standout faves
BELEZA PULA
RADIO RIO
STRAIGHTFROMYOURHEART
BRASILIAN SKIES
EYELANDS
TAJ MAHAL
E.S.P.
he also is a novelty guitar specialist, and probably his most well known instrument is his Surf Board Electric Guitar (!!!!!!!!) which you can admire in this delightful live performance video .
if you’re into the slower sadder vibe, i also recommend Angelo de Augustine who i only found just recently, and have been falling asleep to basically every night. if you listen to Sufjan Stevens you’ll recognize Angelo from their collab album A Beginners Mind. my favorites are as listed…
effervescent island
tomb
blue
most of the time
song of the siren
i haven’t always had a real appreciation for gentle music, and Angelo’s tunes are far softer than any other music i’ve enjoyed in the past. i am learning and expanding my tastes into some more very mellow genres, and enjoying it a great deal.
that’ll do it for this first installment of the newsletter! thank you for making it this far, and i hope you’ll join me in the newsletters to come! see you next time :-D