Audubon's Rice Bunting Birds or Bobolink Birds Playing Cards

This exquisite reproduction of John James Audubon’s Plate 54 from Birds of America features a pair of Rice Buntings, also known as Bobolinks, perched on a striking Red Maple branch. The Red Maple, also called the Swamp Maple, adds a vibrant touch with its red flowers and seeds, which were prominent in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey wetlands where Audubon painted these birds. Symbolising strength, endurance, and protection in Native American culture, the Red Maple is a fitting companion to the Bobolinks, which represent hope, joy, abundance, and new beginnings—a beautiful combination of resilience and renewal. Known for their bubbly, tinkling song, Bobolinks gather in flocks and fill the air with their music, celebrating nature’s beauty. In spring and summer, the male displays a striking black underside, white back, and yellow nape, while in late summer, he molts to resemble the female’s buff-yellow plumage with subtle black stripes on her crown. Audubon’s detailed illustration captures the charm, colours, and deeper symbolism of this scene, making it a meaningful piece for bird watchers, nature lovers, and art collectors.