Pecking cockerel

Pecking cockerel: watercolour on paper

47x53cm Sulmtaler cockerel having a quick snack….

I love how cockerels look after their flock, finding the tasty treats and telling their ladies all about it. We once had a foster cockerel, but had to give him back as he was far too noisy!

The Sulmtaler originates from Austria – Tal means valley in Austrian. They’re an unusual breed, you might not have heard of….In 1900 they were classed as a breed in their own right and introduced to Britain, Germany and Holland. Both males and females have a feathered head crest. They aren’t aggressive, even when in a mixed flock. Although they are sometimes described as flighty, if handled often they become friendly, docile birds, which can become very tame indeed.