Looking for the perfect Christmas stocking stuffer for someone who loves birds? And loves to colour?
Erin Shuttleworth, a comic artist and illustrator based in Trail, will be releasing Birdur, her colouring book of bird predation at the Last-Minute Christmas Market at the Trail mall this coming weekend.
“The book discusses issues of predation, as well as conservation efforts being done to avoid extinction and endangerment of birds,” Shuttleworth explains. “A portion of the sales goes to Australia Wildlife Conservancy, who are working to develop action plans towards conservancy.”
Besides colouring books, Shuttleworth will also have “colour yourself” postcards available at the markets.
Learn more about the artist and her works at: https://erinshuttleworth.com.
The markets go Saturday, Nov. 26 and Sunday, Nov. 27; then again on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11. The Saturday events run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More about Birdur
“The widespread effects of bird predation are hard to quantify and devastating,” Shuttleworth notes. “In particular, ground-nesting and urban birds are at risk due to various forms of predation and environment loss. Whether they are directly being affected by feral cat colonies, or the victim of indirect predation after a window collision, bird populations around the world are dwindling.”
A portion of this project’s proceeds will be donated to worthy conservation efforts, she said.
“Since birds are very difficult to track population-wise, more research needs to be funded, as well as support provided for current efforts, like cat and fox-free safe havens, reducing toxoplasmosis transmission, and feral cat colony management.”
The goal of Shuttleworth’s project is to explore content that is educational, as well as a bit sensationalized in order to add a level of dark humour to a complex and serious issue.
“My intentions are to add a touch of levity, as well as avoid going too dark or macabre. Bird predation is a reality, and the book not only features imagery depicting predation, but it also discusses steps we can take to help this widespread issue,” she said. “It is most definitely not the predator’s fault - they find birds tasty! It’s about carving out safe locations for birds, as well as limiting our own impact on their population.”
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