Louisiana Hawk by John James Audubon art print

An archival premium Quality Art Print of the Louisiana Hawk by John James Audubon for sale by Brandywine General Store. The artist drew this as one of his later birds as it is plate number 392 for his ornithology book The Birds of America, the first Havell edition. The composition is a simple but stunning one, the raptor is perched upon a dead tree limb looking as if he is ready to pounce on some prey.

Buteo Harrisi - Audubon says the following about this hunting raptor bird "The species now before you belongs to the group of what may be called indolent or heavy-flying Hawks. The specimen from which I made my drawing, was procured by a gentleman residing in Louisiana, who shot it between Bayou Sara and Natchez. A label attached to one of its legs authorizes me to say that it was a female; but I have received no information respecting its habits; nor can I at present give you the name of the donor, however anxious I am to compliment him upon the valuable addition he has made to our Fauna, by thus enabling me to describe and portray it. I have much pleasure in naming it after my friend EDWARD HARRIS, Esq., a gentleman who, independently of the aid which he has on many occasions afforded me, in prosecuting my examination of our birds, merits this compliment as an enthusiastic Ornithologist."

Audubon also describes this female specimen and then goes on to describe all the hunting raptor birds in the hawk and eagle families. The Louisiana or Harris"s Hawk is different than the other raptor birds, these birds hunt in groups usually between two to six birds, while the other raptors hunt by themselves and usually only come together at breeding time. The Louisiana Hawk is also now the most popular bird used in falconry in the western countries as it is the easiest to train and also the most social of the raptors. Audubon bird print #392