No. 39 — The Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)
Hand-carved songbird by Geoffrey “G.B.” Davis

Materials: White Pine, Glass, Steel, Hickory Limb, and Found Wood
Dimensions: 6" L × 3" W × 6" H
Finish: Traditional milk paint, waxed and buffed
Status: Available

Description
This is a bird I have only encountered two or three times. The Yellow-breasted Chat is something of an outlier among warblers—larger than most and, in many ways, barely a warbler at all. The most memorable time I saw one, it was high in a tree and incredibly loud, its strange mix of whistles, clucks, and chatters carrying through the woods long before I could clearly see it.

About the Project
This bird is part of 50 Little Birds, a collection of hand-carved Indiana songbirds by artist Geoffrey “G.B.” Davis. Each bird represents a species found in Indiana and is inspired by the artist’s personal encounters with birds in the field. Carved from softwoods and painted with traditional milk paints, the birds are small objects meant to be held, studied, and shared. In this collection, every bird has a story.

Closer
Each bird in the series is offered as an individual piece, but together they reflect an ongoing body of work shaped by observation, memory, and a lifelong love of birds.

Availability
Each bird is carved and painted by hand. If this particular bird has already found a home, I am always happy to carve another for you. Because every bird is handmade, each will have its own unique character.