Northern Cardinal Fledgling

Fledgling, 2016  8"x8", Oil on board

This guy may look like an adult, but he certainly wasn't.  Day in and day out we could hear his screeching voice demanding, "feed me.  feed me."  I was lucky enough to catch this pose while he was in full throat.  I learned that baby birds fledge within 20 days because it is safer to be out of the nest and away from predators even if the bird is still dependent on the adults for food.