Buy Birds
Many of these birds are available for purchase at my
Order a poster with a solid color background, or get one of my birds on a greeting card, t-shirt, mug, sticker, phone case, wall clock, etc.
Redbubble is a site for artists to submit their own work, and they print on just about everything!
Drawing Club Birds
I drew all of these birds on various Friday lunch breaks at my office's weekly drawing club (February 2019 - March 2020).
I happened to draw a bird at the first one I attended, and I decided to stick with the theme!
Raven
(colored pencil)
Falcon
(colored pencil)
Pigeon
(colored pencil)
Jean-Luc Picardinal
(colored pencil)
The unflappable Captain of the Birdship Enterprise.
Jean-Luc Picardinal
(marker)
I liked this one so much, I made a brighter version with tracing paper and marker!
Osprey
(colored pencil)
Royal Tern
(colored pencil)
Eurasian Magpie
(colored pencil)
See below for a Eurasian Magpie in watercolor!
Song Bird
(colored pencil)
Great-tailed Grackle
(colored pencil)
Stork
(colored pencil)
Robin with pear
(colored pencil)
Yellow Warbler
(colored pencil)
Sparrow Hawk
(colored pencil)
Pink Robin
(watercolor marker)
Green-headed Tanager
(colored pencil)
Quarantine Birds
With no in-office drawing club, I tried to take my mind off of quarantine by drawing birds and hanging them up in my apartment.
Since I was making these at home, I branched out from colored pencils and added watercolors and pigment liner pens to my art supplies.
Every bird has a corresponding haiku (written by Julia Figliotti Riley) and limerick (written by Karen Linz)!
Peacock
4/9/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Guarded sentinel
Waging all of his colors
For a chance at life
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was an elegant peacock,
Who somehow was parted from his flock.
He searched high and low,
Optimism in tow,
And at long last he found them by the dock!
-Karen Linz
Great Horned Owl
3/25/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Watching over us
Judging with bright and harsh eyes
"Stay inside, you fools!"
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a wise old owl,
Who looked quite stern with his scowl.
But if you take time
To learn of his mind,
You'll find that he's much more than fowl!
-Karen Linz
Black Stork
6/5/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Watchful, wary gaze
Peering at surroundings from
Iridescent heights
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a stork filled with grace,
Who wandered from place to place.
One leg at a time,
He whistled a rhyme,
'Til at last he found his home base.
-Karen Linz
Hummingbird
3/17/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Floating on paper
Feathers like water, shifting
In the quiet light
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a colorful hummer,
Who yearned and longed for summer.
He ate nectar for food,
And, my, it was good,
But it's only March? What a bummer.
-Karen Linz
Mallard Duck
6/2/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Beady-eyed and brave
Ever returning homeward
To places loved well
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a lone mallard duck,
Who felt somewhat down on his luck.
But he moved his feet,
And caught up with a fleet,
Which suddenly filled him with pluck!
-Karen Linz
Blue Jay*
6/5/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Blue of tranquil calm
Singing songs in harmony
With the great Mother
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a whistling blue jay,
Who fluttered and chirped nearly all day.
He danced to and fro,
And, what do ya know?
He swooped in to say "Happy Mother's Day!"
-Karen Linz
*this one was for our Mother's Day card
Blue Parakeet
3/19/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Blending with the sky
Chattering with bugs and worms
Wind beneath her wings
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a bright blue parakeet,
Who loved to stand on one of her feet.
As others flew by,
She thought she might fly,
But decided against it and went to sleep.
-Karen Linz
Seagull
6/30/20
(colored pencil, pigment liner pen)
Icon of the shores
Decorating craggy buffs
With white shit splatters
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a seagull with yellow feet,
Who cried out quite loudly from his orange beak.
He stole a girl's sock,
And flew to a rock.
Now no one could say he was shy or meek!
-Karen Linz
Eurasian Magpie
6/17/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Black with white with blue
Judging from another land
As our world evolves
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a Eurasian Magpie,
Whose feathers were blue as the night sky.
She looked down below,
Determined to know,
Destined to understand passersby.
-Karen Linz
Red-winged Blackbird
3/31/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Beady, watchful eyes
Searching on the edge of flight
For a Juniper
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a blackbird with red wings,
Who from his small perch brought good tidings.
He glanced over his shoulder,
And, suddenly bolder,
He flew off to a new place and new things.
-Karen Linz
Bald Eagle
8/16/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Soaring East to West
Her sharp and watchful eye fixed
On the home ahead
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was an eagle so grand,
And a flight home was all she could stand.
With feathers anew,
And a fresh morning dew,
In Buffalo she happ'ly did land!
-Karen Linz
Robin
4/14/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Charmed, cheerful, and brave
Giving a strong new meaning
To yellow-bellied
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a yellow-breast robin,
Whose head just wouldn't stop bobbin'.
The music he chirped
Rang out through the dirt,
And cleared away all of the sobbin'.
-Karen Linz
Painted Bunting
6/24/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Floofed up with importance
The green bird sings, envy-less
Pure and sweet and strong
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a green painted bunting,
Whose wee li'le toes curled round something.
Much joy did he lavish,
And it took out some sadness,
Of a postponed trip north, though it still stings.
-Karen Linz
Mourning Dove
5/29/20
(colored pencil, pigment liner pen)
Messenger of life
Bringer of mournful tidings
In the peaceful morn
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a mourning dove gently perched,
On top of a fence made of oak and birch.
He cooed his soft cry,
Then flew gracef'ly by,
And landed on the steeple of a church.
-Karen Linz
Tufted Titmouse
3/23/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Party birds, assemble!
Rocking the birthday mohawk
Like it ain't no thing
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a bird on her birthday,
With a spring in her step like you don't say.
She fluttered her wings,
As she thought about things,
And she said to herself, "life is okay!"
-Karen Linz
Cardinal on Dogwood branch
4/15/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
This North Carolina cardinal was a commission from a friend!
Mohawked piety
Isolated on paper
Two friends connected
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a bright red cardinal,
Who thought that the blossoms were far too small.
He flew to the tree,
But, my, could it be,
That blossoms grow larger before they fall?
-Karen Linz
Willow Warbler
4/24/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Solo voice, arise
Coax the music from each leaf
Willow, sing for me
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a willow warbler,
Who had a deep love for all arbors.
From tree to top to tree,
She sang hymns that were free,
And her song filled her soul like a star burst.
-Karen Linz
Violet Cuckoo
4/2/20
(pencil, watercolor, watercolor marker)
Marbled eye tilted
Wandering and wondering
When will this sh*t end?
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a bird of blue-violet,
And on a thin tree branch did he sit.
With eyes looming upward,
And beak pointed skyward,
He thought to himself, "I hate this sh*t."
-Karen Linz
Scarlet Tanager
7/28/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Rosy cheeks, bright eyes
Basking in his plush plumage
Content and settled
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a scarlet tanger,
Who sensed that a friend was in danger!
While perched on a branch,
She seized her first chance,
And sprang into action with fangs bared.
-Karen Linz
Guinness Toucan
5/8/20
(pencil, watercolor marker)
Precarious beer
Keeps its head while teetering
On a drunken beak
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a tipsy toucan,
Who balanced a beer on his beak and
Smiled with glee
When, what did he see?
But another fine bird with a new can!
-Karen Linz
Blue Tit
1/8/21
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Looking forward as
the morning light crests anew -
We rise to meet it
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a yellow-breast Blue Tit,
Whose name did cause some folks to lose it.
But being mature,
The fine bird did stir,
Deep questions of science and great lit.
-Karen Linz
Lilac-breasted Roller
11/15/20
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
Peace be with you, friends
Bring out the music inside
All colors welcome
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a rainbow-breast Roller,
Who fluffed her fine feathers all over.
She was filled with delight,
When the end was in sight,
And she'd soon see her family much closer!
-Karen Linz
Duckling
1/1/21
(pencil, watercolor, pigment liner pen)
The duckling wishes
A happy quacking new year
To all you quackers
-Julia Figliotti Riley
There once was a fuzzy young duckling,
Who wanted to make the new year ring.
He fluffed and he pruned,
But then realized at noon,
He had 12 hours more with this 2020 thing.
-Karen Linz
Coloring Book Birds
I drew these in pencil and traced over the outlines with pigment liner pens (you can see the final watercolor versions in my Quarantine Birds section above).
Print these out and color your own birds!
Black Stork
Eurasian Magpie
Seagull
Bald Eagle
Mallard Duck
Painted Bunting
Buy Birds
Many of these birds are available for purchase at my
Order a poster with a solid color background, or get one of my birds on a greeting card, t-shirt, mug, sticker, phone case, wall clock, etc.
Redbubble is a site for artists to submit their own work, and they print on just about everything!