On the Wing #24: The Artisan Hunters

Without doubt some of my favorite pieces of American wildlife art are the shorebird and waterfowl decoys produced during the market hunting days during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The dedication to the craft that would eventually turn into an essential piece of Americana was developed according to the needs of those hunters. However, the destructive nature of market hunting took its toll on many wild animal and bird populations, and in some cases, lead to the extinction of several prominent flocking species such as the Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis) and the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius). The legacy of the tools used by those market hunters can be found in the decoys now considered to be collectors items and icons of American shooting and hunting history.

Several examples of A. Elmer Crowell's work including Yellowlegs (Tringa spp.) and Solitary Sandpipers (T. solitaria)

Nowadays, those old decoys are more likely to be found on the mantlepiece than in the marsh or on the dunes of the East Coast, but their presence in history cannot be more important. While large scale shorebird hunting has been halted in most parts of the world, it still continues in Central and South America as well as along the south coasts of Asia. It is along these coasts that already vulnerable populations of shorebirds are being shot and sold at market often without regulation or preventive measures to stop this slaughter. Research on the migration patterns of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) and Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) have found that birds are regularly shot either en route to or on their wintering grounds. Even the juveniles and wintering adults of the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus) (previously detailed in On the Wing #12) are being shot along the coasts of India and southeast Asia for food and market sales.

Having just finished the painting of the third and final SBSA decoy, I'm ready to move on to phase two of "Operation Spoonie". This phase focuses on trying to solicit people to buy the decoys so that the money can be sent to charity. The charity I'm donating to will be here and payment negotiations can be worked out in person or by email. This'll be the tricky part primarily because they are my first carved and painted decoys and I'm proud of the way they have turned out. I also hope they'll actually sell because they are still quite amateurish on the surface and might not generate enough interest. I must remain positive however and press on with it. These birds need saving and I'm trying to do my part to help.

Below are pictures of the finished decoys with an immature and winter plumage bird in the first shot and the recently painted breeding bird on the bottom. The bottom bill might need some shortening, but otherwise looks good. I look forward to getting some feedback on these so be sure to comment below.

I'm attempting to mimic the simple and folksy style of painting used by the marker gunners on their decoys. As such the colors on the birds are bold and pattern oriented. The sticks that the birds are positioned on are long on purpose as they are designed to provide a rigid platform for the decoy to rest and remain motionless when planted in the substrate below.

All three birds together. I'll do some touch ups here and there, but I'm proud of the results for the most part.

*This is the second entry for this week, but there will be a third to make up for the one missed last week. The third entry will be the continuation of my reading list with a few examples of what I hope to read and review in the coming months. Hope you'll enjoy and as always, happy birding ^_^.