This piece is inspired by the constellation Apus, which means, "no feet." Once upon a time, it was believed by some that the bird from New Guinea had no feet. So this constellation is, somewhat weirdly, named for the bird of paradise.

This adorable little bird decided to show us all that it does, indeed, have feet... by bending over and pointing its face at them. It's holding most of the stars of its constellation in its feet.

Since I live in the desert, I decided to choose a a petite but colorfully-headed desert bird for this one. The yellow-faced verdin bird is mostly gray with rusty-colored shoulders. I added a bit of color to the grays to show off the shine of the feathers.