Roseate Tern

About this work

This bird is frozen mid-flight against a pale blue sky. Its wings are spread wide, showing off sharp white feathers with black edges. The underside of its wings has a soft pink glow, and its beak is a bright orange-red. The artist used fine lines to show every feather and texture. This kind of detail was common in nature prints from the 1800s. Try looking up engraving to see how artists carved these tiny lines by hand.