“Moneypenny”, the Secretary Bird (Sagitarius serpentanius) , Signed and Numbered, Limited Edition Giclée Archival Prints (run of 50)

I am donating 25% of the proceeds from original and print/NFT sales to the Kenya Bird of Prey Trust, in Naivasha

From the National Geographic website:
These raptors of sub-Saharan Africa’s savannas, grasslands, and shrub lands stand at nearly four feet tall—and standing is often how you’ll find them, because they primarily move around on foot. They fly only when necessary, such as to reach their nest in the trees and for courtship displays.

The secretary bird is distinguished by its long legs and a dramatic black crest of feathers on the back of its head. Its body is covered in whitish-gray feathers, with two long, black-tipped tail feathers. Its bare face is usually yellow, orange, or red. The top half of its long legs have black feathers, so it looks a bit like it’s wearing bicycle shorts. The lower half is covered with scales and has barely visible feathers.

Moneypenny was a secretary bird, discovered on the Maasai Mara with a mutilated leg in October 2014. Beyond treatment, due to delays in her discovery, the leg was amputated when she got to Kenya Bird of Prey Trust in Naivasha. Simon Thompsett, one of KBoP’s founders created a bamboo prosthesis, which Moneypenny (named after James Bond’s secretary), adapted to quite well. Unfortunately on a very cold night Moneypenny got tangled up with her prosthetic limb and ended up sprawled on the cold ground, dying of hyperthermia overnight.

I never got the chance to meet Moneypenny, so this painting is characterized as “inspired by stories of” rather than a traditional portrait.

I found the image I wanted to paint, which was coincidentally taken by my friend and a co-founder (along with Shiv Kapila) of Kenya Bird of Prey Trust. He kindly, if after the fact, gave me his permission to use it as reference.

To see painting details and to read about the conservation of these birds, check out the artwork in my “Gallery” section