King Rail with Chicks

A king rail stalks through the marsh with three chicks in tow in this painting by Murrell Butler. The king rail is the largest species of rail, but like its relatives, is uncommon. The chicks are small, round balls of fluffy, black down. This painting is one of over 3,000 small-scale watercolors commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation and used for their conservation stamps. The stamps were produced from the 1930s-1990s to promote the mission and work of the National Wildlife Federation.