This print shows all 450+ species of Piciformes, an order that includes some of the most recognizable and colorful birds in the world. Woodpeckers drumming on trees. Toucans with their oversized bills. Barbets with their bristly faces. Honeyguides that lead humans to beehives.
Each species is positioned according to wing length data from AVONET, creating a radial arrangement from smallest to largest. Colors come from Wikipedia descriptions using natural language processing. The result is surprisingly vibrant... Piciformes are more colorful than you might expect. Bright reds and yellows dominate from the woodpeckers, deep greens and blues from the barbets, bold patterns from the toucans.
These are birds unified by their zygodactyl feet (two toes forward, two back) and their close relationship with trees. Many excavate nest cavities. Many have specially adapted tongues for extracting insects or fruit. They're found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.
Art prints are on Enhanced Matte Art paper, 200gsm, and are printed with archival quality inks.Frames are natural wood. Motheye is the top-of-the line anti-glare glass.
Of A Feather: Woodpeckers, Toucans and Barbets
About the Artist: Jer Thorp is a data artist whose work has appeared at The New York Times, the Museum of Modern Art, and in publications like Scientific American and The New Yorker. Originally trained as a geneticist, he works at the intersection of science and art. He is a National Geographic Explorer and author of "Living in Data."
