Predator Bird Skull
After making a few 'Mechanical insects', I started to think about what kind of creatures would adapt or evolve to feed on such ornery little beasties (Like those here and here). What would they look like?
With an anatomy-themed exhibition coming up, I started to carve a bird's skull, but one that would eat tough, large and potentially dangerous insects. The skull is quite chunky and crested, so the bird would almost certainly be flightless but probably a good runner. It has a large braincase, so would be smart. The whole skull is about 25 centimetres (approx. 10 inches) long.
The nozzle on the beak would fire a sticky mucus that would disable the defences of the prey. This is adapted from a similar system used by a seabird called a fulmar, which shoots foul-smelling secretions at potential attackers from a similar nozzle over it's beak.
View of skull from behind |
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Whole sculpture |
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Underside of skull |
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The skull part was carved from a single block of sycamore. The beak and nozzle are carved from a piece of English boxwood. The stand is stained oak and bamboo.