Woodcock

The small bird hidden in this painting by Roger Tory Peterson is the woodcock. Males of the species perform a conspicuous courtship behavior that includes spiraling aerial displays, vocalizations, and sounds made from wingbeats. 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.