Nikolai Kirillovich Litvinov: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker/USSR Birds

Artist: Nikolai Kirillovich Litvinov
1930 -
Nationality: Russian
Artwork Year: 1979
Image Size: 9 by 8 inches
Overall Size: 12.625 by 11.5 inches
Medium: Water Color on Water Color Paper

In deciduous forests of the Soviet Union, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker makes his home in decaying aspens and alder trees. In early spring, these birds migrate to the Soviet Union from such far away places as northwestern Africa and Asia. On arrival, the male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker chooses a forest plot and defends this territory against invasion by other birds of his own species. By uttering a unique drummer-beat sound, the male sets out to attract a female companion. Shortly after finding a mate, the pair begins constructing a small hollow on the trunk of a decaying aspen and the female lays up to nine porcelain-white eggs in the fine wood chips of this nest. After hatching, both parent birds take responsibility for feeding the young. They are hatched out blind and nearly bare of feathers. So, for the first few days of life, nestlings are silent, but then they suddenly become very active and noisy, crying so loudly that all forest animals are aware of the nest. Though these cries attract many predators, the young woodpeckers rarely fall prey to other birds since the opening in their nest is too narrow for most to enter. Once the birds leave the nest, almost their entire day is spent searching for their diet of beetles and ants which they pick out of the bark of decaying trees. In the winter, these birds frequently visit fruit orchards where they eat the insect pests that destroy fruit crops. This useful habit makes this woodpecker one of the most important birds in the Soviet Union.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the U.S.S.R. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker stamp issued September 18, 1978.

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): XB05551

US$ Price: $950.00

Easy Purchase Plan: Buy this ArtworkOriginal with 8 monthly payments. Payments will be charged automatically as due to your Credit Card.

How to buy Original Artwork:

If you would like to buy Original Artwork, there are several convenient ways:

Use The Artwork Gallery: simply click the "Hang in Gallery" for pictures of interest. This puts the picture in your Personal Artwork Gallery, where you can view or remove it. When you've finished hanging artwork in your Personal Artwork Gallery, Go to your Personal Artwork Gallery and select an option for contacting us or ordering from us from there.

To get in touch with us directly about a piece of Artwork by Phone note the SKU and dial TOLL FREE 1-800-287-4079 from throughout U.S. and Canada.