Don Balke: Mountain Plover

Artist: Don Balke
1932 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1986
Image Size: 12.5 by 10.75 inches
Overall Size: 20.875 by 19.125 inches
Medium: Water Color on Cold Press Illustration Board

One of the few shorebirds which lives mainly away from water, the Mountain Plover is not found in the mountains either. Instead, the Mountain Plover lives across the High Plains and uplands of the West. A fleet, long-legged runner, the Mountain Plover prefers to run, rather than fly, from an intruder. If forced to do so, the Plover flies low, alternately flapping and gliding with down-curved wings. Sailing for short distances, it lands with a few short steps and quickly seeks cover by squatting. Normally only seen in flight, the silvery-white underwings add the only color to the otherwise pale buff, black-pated Mountain Plover. Even during the breeding season, the Plover's coloration does not change significantly. Scratching out a shallow depression on the bare open ground, Mountain Plovers initiate mating. The female lays a set of three olive, black-spotted eggs which are incubated by the male. Then, she lays a second set of eggs which she incubates. Incubation may take as long as one month, but the well developed Mountain Plover chicks are able to fend for themselves shortly after hatching. And the chicks are able to attain mature flight by the end of the fifth week. Not a long distance migrator, the Mountain Plovers fly between the deserts of the Southwest, and the semi-arid Great Plains. The Mountain Plover is also known as the Prairie Plover and the Upland Plover.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® commemorative cover for Balke's Shorebirds of the 50 States, cancelled November 8, 1986.

Artwork Copyright © 1986 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB10522

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