This piece is completely made by hand, so please allow time for designing and making before shipping. Any species of bird available for commission, please just ask.

Hand carved from wood, the birds body is solid and has all the lifelike details lovingly crafted into it. From the beak to the eyes, right down to his feet, everything is made to look lifelike.

From this stage the tail and wing feathers are hand cut, lined with a length of wire each for strength and stability, before being attached into position. All the feathers are thoroughly researched and correct in size and shape.

Next step is to hand scissor and feather over 500 paper feathers from tail all the way up to the beak, each feather individually shaped and feathered around the edges, then layered one on top of the other, to create the full feathery effect.

Once the last tiny feather is placed on the head the next stage is to paint the entire sculpture to be as lifelike as possible, adding all colours and shades this beautiful bird is renowned for. Using Acrylic paint, some iridescent, the painting starts from the head down, taking extra care to get all the details just so. The last detail to add is the gloss shine to eyes, to give that extra lifelike shine.

The final step is to make and install the branch onto which the bird is about to land on. This is crafted from armature wire and milliput, (a two part epoxy clay) that is formed by hand to create a completely original branch shape, lastly painted with acrylics to look lifelike.

Running from the base of the tail feathers through the tail and into the branch is a length of steel wire which the bird sits on, giving the illusion of him being in flight.

The bird is life size, sitting inside a bell jar that measures 54cm tall and 27cm wide. A truly striking piece for any interior.

If you have a favourite bird that you would like Zack to make then please do get in touch, he would be happy to talk you through the design process and help your dream become reality.