Scarlet Macaws, Costa Rica

Two scarlet macaws perch side by side on a bare, pale branch against a soft, misty watercolor background of grays and greens. Their plumage is a stunning mix of vivid crimson red dominating the body, with striking accents of blue and yellow on the wings, and long tapered tails that graduate from deep maroon to bright orange-red. Both birds face in slightly different directions — one looking left, the other tilted upward — their cream-colored faces and heavy curved beaks giving them a regal, almost contemplative air. The artwork blends photographic detail with a painterly, watercolor aesthetic, making the birds appear both lifelike and dreamlike at once.