Baby Birds: An Artist Looks Into the Nest

Why and how do baby songbirds develop so quickly, some launching into flight only 11 days after hatching? In 2002, Julie Zickefoose began to draw and paint wild nestlings day by day, bearing witness to their swift growth. Over the next 13 years, Julie would document the daily changes in 17 bird species from hatching to fledging. In this talk, Julie shares her influences as well as her artistic process.  Art and science blend in every Zickefoose pursuit, as the scientist’s relentless curiosity joins the artist’s quest for beauty. The work, wonder, and fun of studying nestlings, including being foster mother to orphaned hummingbirds, chimney swifts, and bluebirds, makes for an irresistible and highly inspirational presentation.