Black-necked Crane, Grus nigricollis
J. Fenwick Lansdowne, often described as the successor to John James Audubon, was born in 1937 to British parents in Hong Kong. He died in Victoria BC Canada – where he had lived for many years – just before his 70th birthday in the summer of 2008. He was taught to paint by his mother, herself an accomplished artist trained in traditional Chinese watercolor techniques.
Rare Birds of China is his most recent project, one which required almost 10 years to complete. It was commissioned in 1984 as a unique record of China's rare and endangered birds. From its inception, it has been a truly international project. The 32 birds in the series were selected with the help of leading Chinese ornithologists, professors Cheng Tso-Hsin and Hsu Weishu. This list was compiled with a particular concern for those species increasingly threatened by environmental hazards and loss of habitat.
J. Fenwick Lansdowne traveled extensively in China, visiting museums and observing birds in zoos and in their natural habitats. Museums in China, England and North America provided advice and assistance with the loan of bird skins for the artist's reference. British mountaineer Chris Bonington took detailed photographs of the habitats of Himalayan species for the artist's use.
Blyth's Tragopan, Tragopan blythii
Himalayan Snowcock, Tetraogallus himalayensis
Impeyan Monal, lophophorus impejanus
Japanese Crane, Grus japonensis
Mikado Pheasant, Syrmaticus mikado
Rufous-necked Hornbill, Aceros nipalensis
Satyr Tragopan, Tragopan satyra
Sclater's Monal, Lophophorus sclateri
Siberian Crane, Grus leucogeranus
Silver Oriole, Oriolus mellianus
Temmincks Tragopan, Tragopan temminckii
White Stork, Iconia ciconia
