Vadim Gorbatov: Blue-breasted Kingfisher

Artist: Vadim Gorbatov
1940 -
Nationality: Russian
Artwork Year: 1990
Image Size: 14.5 by 15 inches
Overall Size: 15.25 by 18.5 inches
Medium: Water Color on Water Color Paper

At the zoo in Frankfurt where the Natal Kingfisher was enticed to breed, the tiny birds lived in a flight cage that also housed Sunbirds, another small, tropical species. The cage was furnished with natural vegetation, a pool with an earth bank and running water. In the winter, the tiny pair of kingfishers flew about the bank searching for a nest -- finally, they chose a pre-bored hole above the pool which they deepened with their beaks and feet. Working diligently for a month, the pair readied their nesting hole. Both birds incubated the eggs once they were laid, but the female did so for longer periods and generally took the entire night shift. The little birds became restless just before their young hatched, calling often and even chasing the Sunbirds, which they had previously ignored. When at last these pioneer babies broke free of their shells, both parents fed the hatchlings live arthropods, which were always placed head first into the beaks of the young. Unlike their parents, the young kingfishers had short beaks which, like their legs, were brownish at first instead of red. The tip of the beak was white; the belly, which is red in adults, was pale in the young, as were the sides of the head, which are purple in adults.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the Ghana Blue-breasted Kingfisher stamp issued October 16, 1989.

Artwork Copyright © 1990 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): XB12556

US$ Price: $1,000.00

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.