Hand-Painted Orange Songbird Figurine with Black Wings

A plump little songbird figurine in a vivid flame-orange, shading to yellow around the eyes and wings, with glossy black wings carved with fine white-streaked feather detail. It has a short black beak, bright black eyes and a little fanned tail in black and orange. The finish is hand-painted with a slightly textured, sponged look that gives it warmth and depth. It fits in the palm of a hand and makes a cheerful accent for a windowsill, bookshelf or desk. With its colouring, it's most likely modelled on a scarlet tanager. Maker unmarked. It's in good condition.

The real scarlet tanager is one of North America's most striking birds. In spring and summer the adult male is brilliant red with jet-black wings and tail, the only bird in its range coloured like that. It's also a long-distance traveller, flying from forests in the eastern United States to northwestern South America each winter, mostly migrating at night.