Upstream of Science: The Role of Bird Art in Understanding — An Interview with Szabolcs Kókay How wildlife art and illustrations shape memory, education, and the foundations of ornithology — an interview with wildlife artist, Szabolcs Kókay.

How wildlife art and illustrations shape memory, education, and the foundations of ornithology — an interview with wildlife artist, Szabolcs Kókay.

theornithologist.org/upstream-of-...

#ornithology #birds #wildlifeartist #birdart #TheOrnithologist #birding #kokayart

Tui are iridescent honeyeaters endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. Their song sounds like R2D2 and they are notoriously boisterous bordering on aggressive. Their white throat feathers are called poi, named after the Māori taonga used in performances and training.

#tui #birdart #sciart #ecology #art

Thanks! Yeah they are super cute to see in the wild. They bop around never staying in one place very long. Very hard to photograph!

Titipounamu (Acanthisitta chloris) is Aotearoa New Zealand's smallest bird, with their roundness, stumpy tail and upturned bill. Males are bright green while the female is streaked dark and light brown. I've paired her with a silver beech stem here.
#birdart #titipounamu #wildlifeart #sciart

Just finished up two new murals in Ranfurly! Thanks Creative New Zealand , @thewandafoundation ICL Chartered Accountants , Department of Conservation , OCC - Otago Catchment Community Inc , Central Otago Rail Trail, and @Maniatoto Community Trust.

#herp #scicomm #wildlifeart #mural #birdart #art

DCR has pottery, conservation mahi, rare and endangered species, trains, and heritage to enjoy. I've visited multiple times and always find new ways to enjoy the place and people, which is what I wanted to express in this mural.

#Drivingcreekrailway #mural #coromandel #Aotearoa #newzealand #frog

Central Otago is a hotspot for moth and butterfly diversity, thanks to the Olearia genus, which are hardy shrubs that serve as host plants for over 220 species. These illustrations are for a poster of the Taiari River Catchment, coming soon!

#sciart #butterfly #moth #insects #nature #flowers #art

Wow thanks!

Never seen one myself, but I did see a spotless crake in the North Island.

Thanks!

I drew this marsh crake | kotoreke (Porzana pusilla affinis) for a book on wetland species of Aotearoa NZ. This is a super cryptic species by nature, but I think we might see more of them around if we restore wetlands and cap the dairy industry.
#nzbirds #marshcrake #birds #birdart #wetland #sciart

This beauty is an Otago Skink, endemic to Aotearoa NZ. They are one of NZ's largest lizard species and live in schist outcroppings. They can withstand cold winters and have evolved to give birth to live young!
#skink #herp #lizard #reptile #sciart #herpetology #wildlife #natureart #art #animalart

Deep-sea mining is a false solution to our challenges (commentary) The deep sea, the planet’s most expansive and least understood ecosystem, remains largely unexplored. Yet while the deep sea may seem a dark and distant space, events underwater directly impact our…

[COMMENTARY]

A new op-ed argues that the case for deep-sea mining is weak and also that the facts used by its proponents don’t add up, but rather cloud their judgment.

** The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

It was lovely to see the artwork I made featuring Central Otago wildlife come to life in the real world as signage. You can learn about the biological richness of the Taiari river by visiting #Ranfurly thanks to the Tiaki Maniototo Project.

#nature #art #otago #aotearoa #newzealand #otagorailtrail

Stop Legalised Killing of Protected Wildlife Under urgency and with no public consultation, the Government has changed the Wildlife Act 1953, directly threatening at-risk indigenous species. This action undermines a High Court ruling protecting ...

This cause is close to my heart - please sign: our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/st...

#conservation #coromandel #newzealand #wildlife #nature #herps #frog #kiwi

Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't A Low-Brow, Crass Approach to Plant Ecology & Evolution as muttered by a Misanthropic Chicago Italian. We study plants through the lens of ecology and evolution, rather than what supposed anthropocen...

You normally have to hold a gun to my head to get me to watch YouTube videos, but I’m enjoying the hell out of CRIME PAYS BUT BOTANY DOESN’T which is a foul-mouthed botanist from Chicago wandering the landscape, raving about how fabulous the plants are. m.youtube.com/@CrimePaysBu...

For someone who used to think intricate details were all that mattered, I'm finally understanding and appreciating art that is joyfully simple, stylized, and symbolic.
#digitalart #vintagestyle #printmaking #wildlifeart #lizard #butterfly #fish

Its a miracle the American Bison is not extinct like the passenger pigeon. Reading the original descriptions describing the bison "hunting" in the 1800s is really bitter. Men would shoot en-mass from their cars as a weekend activity.

Sharing a few assets I made for The Tiaki Maniototo Project's community day. Its a great project working to improve and restore biodiversity around the Taiari River. Volunteer native plantings are a big part of it.
#conservation #otago #nativeplants #nativegardening #sciart #newzealand #vintageart

There are two birds of prey that you are able to see in Aotearoa NZ during the day, the Kāhu, and the much less common New Zealand falcon/Kārearea. I've painted this one for the upcoming Taiari Catchment Biodiversity poster.

#taiaririver #sciart #birdart #birdofprey #nzfalcon #falcon #digitalart

We called them Pigus for short while monitoring them in the South Puget Sound! Cute illustration!

Why Has This North Carolina Town Embraced a Strange Salamander? The city of Boone has put a giant mural of the eastern hellbender downtown and its residents often imbibe a local Hazy IPA named after the amphibian

Really pleased to have contributed several images to this article in the Smithsonian on hellbenders! Love to see and hear about hellbender appreciation 🦎🌎
www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...

The next gecko for the upcoming biodiversity poster of Central Otago is the jewelled gecko!
#gecko #lizard #otago #Aotearoa #newzealand #digitalart #wildlifeart #herps #sciart #scicomm

I'm working on a large biodiversity poster right now, which means lots of illustrations of little guys like this kōrero gecko, native to the Otago Region in Aotearoa NZ.

#sciart #gecko #biodiversity #herps #lizard #scicomm #reptile #otago #newzealand #aotearoa #digitalart

Our 2025 programme is now up! From 28 June and 6 July 2025, Dunedin will yet again become full of engaging science events for all ages. Don't miss out!

Full programme is at scifest.org.nz/programme

Hardcopies are available at 19 George Street, in the Central Library, and around town.

#SciComm

Thanks! I used Photoshop, using photo I took at Orokonui.

Thanks!

Loving the colors of the South Island Kaka.
#birdart #parrot #newzealandwildlife #kaka #wildlifeart #digitalartist #conservationart #sciart #ornithology #feather #nature

Ocean floor mining has been a hot topic lately with talks about the US and New Zealand rushing to scrape it all up, so I'm sharing my book about deep sea animals to help raise awareness. It's great for all ages and it's free on kindle!

www.amazon.com.au/Z-Deep-Dark-...

#sciart #Deepsea #kidsbook

A spotted towhee for you.

#sciart #birdart #birds #animalart #painting #illustration

Happy International Asexuality Day! 🖤🩶🤍💜

And with a crow, yet. 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛

#BirdArt by Kate Ammann