The story of the bird
The Ring-necked Pheasant has been South Dakota’s official state bird since February 13, 1943 - a non-native species so thoroughly woven into the landscape that by 1935 the population was estimated at 12 million birds. The South Dakota Ornithologists’ Union lists 440 species on the state checklist, from prairie-pothole waterfowl in the millions to Black Hills specialties that belong to a different mountain world entirely.
This composite brings together bird studies on one sheet. The artwork shown above is the composition supplied with this print.
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 South Dakota’s skies and yards actually hold.
Paper and finish
Unframed prints come on Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308gsm, a heavyweight fine-art paper with a soft matte surface. The framed option is a different stock: Enhanced Matte 200gsm, set in a classic moulding, glazed, with no mount, ready to hang straight from the box. Choose your frame in black, white or natural.
Sizes
Three sizes: 8x10, 16x20 and 24x30 inches, or an instant digital PDF. Prints from $39. Framed from $99. 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. Choose black, white or natural framing to suit your room. Keep the print out of direct sunlight.
Birds of South Dakota field guide: /state/south-dakota/
More South Dakota prints: /plates/state/south-dakota/
