This Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) was harvested in Maryland and was preserved by local taxidermy artist Earl Fox. The Wood Duck will remain on display at the Maryland Thurgood Marshall State Law Library through May 1, 2026.
A tandem display of waterfowl prints by John James Audubon will accompany the Wood Duck. Taxidermy played an important role in the creation of The Birds of America copperplate engravings by Audubon. The set was produced in the late 1820s and 1830s, before the popularization of daguerreotype photography. Thus, avian samples were harvested by Audubon’s team of assistants and preserved in taxidermy. The birds were wired to branches like those found in the wild to mimic their natural poses. From there, Audubon created detailed paintings of the birds, which later were reproduced as copperplate engravings and tinted in watercolors. The taxidermy birds joined museum collections in the eastern United States.
Learn more about the Wood Duck on the National Audubon Society website.