URBAN JUNGLE .1.

When considering this painting I was thinking about my childhood, times spent in our family garden watching these little birds as they searched for small insects. To all small creatures a garden is an urban jungle, a home, a place to hunt, to find a mate and breed, a nursery, and yes sometimes a battle ground. The idea was there, even the title fell into place and finally the composition and basic layout were established. Of course it had to be colorful and therefore full of plants and flowers, a lived in garden hense the old weathered chair and bucket. The brick wall was added to give depth to the painting and finally a pair of wrens were place at the bucket opening, and to complete the work cobwebs were added. 

ABOUT THE SPECIES

The Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) is one of the smallest yet best known British birds and easily recognized by it's short turned up tail. It can be found throughout the British Isles, in Europe and Africa, and a belt of Asia from northern Iran and Afghanistan to the islands of Japan. It is migratory only in the northern parts of it's range and in order to survive extreme cold will on occasions hundle in large groups to keep warm. The wren can be found in a variety of habitats, in most of northern Europe and Asia it nests mostly in coniferous forest and hunts in wood, copses and gardens looking for insects in the bark of trees and among ground plants. Interestingly the male builds several nest, up to 6 or 7 but none are lined until the female chooses one to use. She lays 5-12 eggs and generally two broods are raised each year. In areas with a plentiful food supply males have several mates. The population of the Eurasian wren is considered to be good and therefore listed as of Least Concern.