Photo © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

An Artist Portrays the Nesting Cycle

Wildlife rehabilitator and artist, Julie Zickefoose’s newest endeavor, Baby Birds: An Artist Looks Into the Nest, documents the daily growth of 17 different species from newly-emerged, naked hatchlings to fully-feathered rambunctious fledglings. The book features more than 400 watercolor paintings that illustrate the swift day-by-day growth of wild nestlings including Eastern Bluebirds, Chimney Swifts, Tufted Titmice, and the Yellow-billed Cuckoo—a bird that rapidly matures and fledges in just 8 days! 

In addition to beautiful artwork, the text reads like a journal, personally connecting readers to each nest and bird family. NestWatchers will enjoy the careful and painstaking detail that Julie uses to capture these delicate creatures and will be sure to recognize the many stages of development from their own nest checks.