Bird Art - Galah Parrots

(click image to see larger version).
This is a 12x16 inch Australian native bird illustration by Hexagonal Mandala. Art and text - Copyright 2009.

Australian backyards are hosts to many amazing native and introduced bird species. I am lucky enough to have a few natives that frequent my yard and neighbourhood. This image is from a series of paintings which explores species observed at or near my home in the Hunter Valley on the eastern coast of Australia. This is a scene of Galahs, (Scientific name: Eolophus roseicapillus), where the morning sunlight illuminates the foliage below and signals the start to another glorious day. Galahs are easy to identify because of their colouring and they are one of the most common and widespread cockatoos in Australia. The large trees near my home often host a small handful of these birds, and often they will be seen rummaging through grass in search of a feed. Galahs are usually considered as exhibiting bold and loud behaviour and therefore to be referred to as a "Galah" in Australian slang suggests that your behaviour is perceived as that of a 'fool' or 'idiot'.