Painting, The Red-winged Blackbird

Painting, The Red-winged Blackbird, 2020,  Oil on Panel, 10"x10"

The Red-wings mate and nest in the marsh at the back of our house.  As they fly out of the marsh and directly at the house and the feeder, they make this very high pitched sound with a bit of vibrato.  When they sing while perched they often fluff their head feathers and spread their tale.  This is a male.  The females are very different, brown and flecked.  When the viewer looks, I want her to ask, "Why did the artist do that?  Is the bird the artist? Should I now consider the object as a painting before I consider it a representation of the bird? Is the bird saying, Consider me all you want, but protect me if you value me."