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Description
Species depicted: White stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Time taken: unrecorded
References used: 3.bp.blogspot.com/-rfAuo4vfPhw… c1.staticflickr.com/3/2557/411…
Tools of the trade: Photoshop CS5

Commission for an off-deviantart client.

There's an interesting story to be told about these two. First of all, White storks are rather amazing for the long annual migrations they undertake. They fly several thousand kilometres from their breeding grounds in Europe to their wintering grounds in Africa. Each adult stork has their own favourite wintering location, and juveniles travelling with them will learn this specific migration route, allowing them to travel solo the next year.

Also notice the difference in plumage between these birds: it's all down to a recent moult or not. With time the brilliant white feathers become smudged and yellowish, the jet black of the wings is lightened into a dark brown by the sun, and the white edges to the primaries and secondaries wear off, leaving unicoloured flight feathers. White storks take a long time to moult though; most adults fully replace their flight feathers only once every few years. So it'd be rare to find a completely 'fresh' individual like this: more often you'll see animals with a mix of both old and new wing feathers.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All submissions in this gallery, be it photos, paintings or drawings, are copyrighted to me, Namu-the-orca/Frédérique Lucas. No one has the right to alter, distribute, copy or use my art without my written permission unless stated otherwise. My submissions are NOT stock

Description
Species depicted: White stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Time taken: unrecorded
References used: 3.bp.blogspot.com/-rfAuo4vfPhw… c1.staticflickr.com/3/2557/411…
Tools of the trade: Photoshop CS5

Commission for an off-deviantart client.

There's an interesting story to be told about these two. First of all, White storks are rather amazing for the long annual migrations they undertake. They fly several thousand kilometres from their breeding grounds in Europe to their wintering grounds in Africa. Each adult stork has their own favourite wintering location, and juveniles travelling with them will learn this specific migration route, allowing them to travel solo the next year.

Also notice the difference in plumage between these birds: it's all down to a recent moult or not. With time the brilliant white feathers become smudged and yellowish, the jet black of the wings is lightened into a dark brown by the sun, and the white edges to the primaries and secondaries wear off, leaving unicoloured flight feathers. White storks take a long time to moult though; most adults fully replace their flight feathers only once every few years. So it'd be rare to find a completely 'fresh' individual like this: more often you'll see animals with a mix of both old and new wing feathers.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All submissions in this gallery, be it photos, paintings or drawings, are copyrighted to me, Namu-the-orca/Frédérique Lucas. No one has the right to alter, distribute, copy or use my art without my written permission unless stated otherwise. My submissions are NOT stock