Gene Jarvis: Greater Flamingo

Artist: Gene Jarvis
1921 - 1990
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1979
Image Size: 9.5 by 9 inches
Overall Size: 12.75 by 12.5 inches
Medium: Pen and Ink on Hot Press Illustration Board

In sheltered bays along the coast of Africa and in secluded lagoons, the beautiful Flamingo makes its home. These birds are quite gregarious, often nesting in huge colonies numbering thousands of birds. They mate only once a year and build a conical nest consisting of a mound of mud. The female lays a single egg in a shallow hole at the top of this nest and during the month-long incubation, parents alternate sitting on the egg to keep it warm. Within a week of hatching, the young bird leaves the nest and forms a small group with other young Flamingos. Soon, these birds enlarge their flock by including even more young birds, and they begin searching for their own food instead of relying on their parents. As they grow older, they assume the lovely vermilion plumage of the adult birds. Their legs grow so long that they may soon stand up to five feet tall. These beautiful birds are a gorgeous sight as they serenely stand in shallow lagoon waters, preening their brilliant pink feathers and basking in the warm sun. In their lagoon home, the Flamingos ferret out crustacea, algae, and unicellular organisms which they sift through their beak's unique filtering appartus. This filter beak -- with tiny lammellae that separate the food from the water -- varies among the five Flamingo species. This is a very beneficial feature since it allows different species to feast on different foods while all can live in the same area without diminishing the others' food supplies.

This artwork was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the South-west Africa 4¢ Greater Flamingo stamp issued May 4, 1979.

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): XB05276

US$ Price: Reg. $950.00 Today $475.00

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