Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Mockingbird and Iris" Signed lower left. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood Commemorative cover for "Balke's Birds and Flowers" series, cover cancelled June 1, 1985.

Intensely territorial, the Mockingbird stands ready to attack any creature that invades its domain, especially fellow Mockingbirds. "Dogfights" involving six or more Mockingbirds bombing on each other are not uncommon. It is thought by some scientists that the Mockingbird's song may have survival value. This bird's continuous imitation of other sounds may be designed to better express individual differences. There is considerable evidence that song is not merely an announcement of the species, but also an individual bird's identity tag. The Mockingbird's so-called courtship dance, which involves flashing of the wings, is not that at all, but rather vying for position in fierce territorial fights. There are more than two hundred species of Irises that grow wild, and thousands of hybrids, but all have two common characteristics: sword-shaped leaves and a distinctive flower structure consisting of three usually erect petals, called standards, and three outer petals, or sepals, that hang down from the base of the blossom. The arrangement of these parts is peculiar and their duties unusual. A bee, instead of settling on the petals that arch upward from the flower's center, uses the broad sepals as a landing field. The sepals curve downward and have honey-guide markings and sometimes golden "beards." Irises come in a stunning range of colors -- hence the name Iris, after the Greek, goddess of the rainbow.

Image Size: 11.25 x 12.75 in.
Overall Size: 19.25 x 21 in.
Unframed.
(B09549)

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