Future Birds

As a long time gawper in wonder and awe at birds, I've returned to an ornithological painting theme I started some years ago. At that time it was a series based on false allegorical tales, now I'm linking the work to my Londonia world. The Londonian Birdsmith - probably a future me - is a recorder and painter of birdlife around the 2090s where environmental and climatic changes have caused rapid evolutional alterations and adaptations.

The al fresco filcher heron, a derivation of the European common grey heron. 

The bird, finding its natural habitat and food sources declining due to continuing pollution and human activity, has adapted over the decades to sourcing its main nourishment from poolside banquets. Billionaires, finally tiring of their underground estates and keening for real sunlight, finally emerged from their luxurious bunkers towards the end of the century, celebrating their survival by throwing elaborate parties alongside their refilled infinity pools.

The heron's plumage of grey and white rapidly changed to blend with pool water tones, thus allowing the birds a certain camouflage while filching smoked salmon, oysters, fois gras, caviar and other bunker stored delicacies.

Since the decline in pools and the recolonisation of nature generally, the heron's plumage is now taking on greyer hues although the blue appears to be appreciated and may well remain part of the bird's feather-clothing.

The Londonian Birdsmith. Month of Avi, Bright Quarter, 2093.