When painting a detailed portrait such as this, Coheleach
prefers to work from study skins rather than taxidermy mounts
or photographs.
"There's a danger in working with mounted birds and mammals because the taxidermist may have arranged the creature in a shape that is inaccurate. You don't want to be influenced by
someone else's interpretation of how an animal should look.
The red-shafted flicker is a common bird in the West; the fact
that it is common and that many people have seen it and know its
characteristics, makes it even more important to be absolutely certain of your facts. And the way to be certain of its colors
and plumage is to get the actual bird and study it."
