The story of the bird
Kentucky was the first US state to choose the Northern Cardinal as state bird, in 1926. A century on, the state’s bird list runs from Mississippi Flyway wintering waterfowl to Appalachian breeding warblers, with the cardinal year-round across every county.
This plate gathers the signature birds of Kentucky onto a single sheet, drawn in the Audubon tradition of close observation and honest colour: Cerulean Warbler, Bachman’s Sparrow, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Loon, Snow Goose, and the Northern Cardinal.
The print
A studied composite in the Audubon style. Cream ground, the navy and sage of the house palette, each bird drawn in true proportion to the others and arranged as a single editorial plate rather than a chart. It reads as one picture of what Kentucky’s skies and yards actually hold.
Paper and finish
Unframed prints come on Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308gsm, a heavyweight cotton rag with a soft matte surface and true archival life. The framed option is a different stock: Enhanced Matte 200gsm, set in a classic moulding, mounted and glazed, ready to hang straight from the box. Choose your frame in black, white or natural.
Sizes
Three sizes: A4, A3 and A2, or an instant digital PDF. Prints from $39. Framed from $109. Digital download $9.
How to hang it
A composite plate wants room to breathe. Give it a pale wall, warm white or sage, and hang it at eye height where the palette can carry. A brown or gold moulding suits the cream ground; black or dark grey gives a more graphic edge. Keep it out of direct sun, which fades the colour over decades.
Birds of Kentucky field guide: /state/kentucky/
More Kentucky prints: /plates/state/kentucky/
