$5,950.00
Regents Before The Storm (Regent Parrot) Gouache on 300gsm Paper 44cm x 55cm
Peter’s Inspiration: “I chose opaque gouache to bring out the bright contrasting colours and hard edges of the bird”.
The Regent Parrot is a colourful and elegant fast-flying bird found only in two small areas in south-western and south-eastern Australia. They forage in open habitats and travel long distances in noisy flocks, with their long wings and tails giving them a characteristic streamlined look. At first, clearing of forest land for agriculture allowed Regents to expand their range into the more open habitats they prefer, but over time the loss of native habitat, especially Mallee, has restricted their access to food and the large eucalypt trees they need for nest sites. Both populations are now in decline, especially in the south-east where Regents are now listed as Endangered.
Mallee woodland are key foraging areas for the parrots outside the breeding season, but larger eucalypts such as River Red Gums provide crucial hollows to nest in. This painting shows an adult male and a female Regent perched in a flowering Mallee, with another bird flying over a River Red Gum in the background as an afternoon storm looms on the horizon.
Original painting by Peter Marsack
In stock
