Michael Warren: The Moorhen

Artist: Michael Warren
1938 -
Nationality: British
Artwork Year: 1979
Image Size: 5.875 by 6.6 inches
Overall Size: 8 by 9.875 inches
Medium: Water Color on Water Color Paper

The Moorhen is a cosmopolitan bird, equally at home in the English countryside or residing in bustling cities and towns. Their only requirement is fresh water in which to take their regular swim. While Moorhens do not have webbed feet, the narrow strips of skin between their long, thin toes enables them to swim adeptly. This unique foot construction also allows them to run on top of floating vegetation, one of their favorite food sources. When a male and female decide to settle down, they take a practical approach to nest-building and sometimes use an abandoned net of another species as a foundation for their bulky nest. They are careful to build with dry plant parts, rushes, sedge blades and reeds and the nest is always on or near the water. When Mother Moorhen lays her eggs, it's usually a clutch of between seven and ten eggs, although one English Moorhen outdid everyone and laid twenty-six eggs at one time. The young are delightful ittle balls of fine black down that obediently bob along after their parents. The Gallinulini is also one of nature's smartest dressers. At first glance they appear to have overall dark plumage, but closer examination reveals beautifully subtle shadings of blue-greys, olive greens and rich browns, topped off by a vivid beak of red and yellow. When they're excited, their soft-feathered tails point up exposing their shiny white under tail coverts.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the Great Britain Westminster Collector's Society 13p Waterbird stamp issued January 16, 1980.

Artwork Copyright © 1979 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB05769

US$ Price: $1,475.00

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