Encounters with corvids is a celebration of Ireland's seven native corvid species, combining natural-history writing, wildlife illustration, folklore and personal observation to explore one of the most intelligent and adaptable families of birds.
I created the illustrations and book design in collaboration with Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh, zoologist and researcher at Trinity College Dublin. Supported by the Arts Council Ireland and published by Natural World Publishing in April 2025, the book was a particularly rewarding project because it brought together several strands of my practice: wildlife illustration, graphic design, publishing and a long-standing fascination with the natural world.
Seven Irish corvids
Ireland is home to seven native members of the crow family: rook, jay, hooded crow, jackdaw, chough, magpie, and raven.
Although these birds are familiar sights across much of Ireland, people often reduce them to stereotypes. Crows and their relatives have accumulated a complicated reputation in folklore and popular culture, frequently associated with death, mischief or bad luck. At the same time, their intelligence, problem-solving abilities, adaptability and complex social behaviour have fascinated scientists and naturalists for generations.
Encounters with corvids looks beyond those familiar associations to explore the birds themselves.
Each chapter focuses on a different species, bringing together Fionn's personal encounters and scientific knowledge with stories, folklore and observations from the wider cultural history of these birds. The result is a book that is informative without losing the sense of wonder and curiosity that makes spending time with wildlife so rewarding.
Illustrating intelligent birds
Corvids are particularly fascinating subjects for a natural-history illustrator. Their anatomy is relatively familiar, but each species has its own distinctive silhouette, proportions, plumage and character. Capturing those differences accurately while also conveying something of each bird's personality was an important part of the illustration process.
I approached the artwork with my usual emphasis on observational detail and natural-history accuracy, while allowing the illustrations to contribute to the storytelling rather than functioning simply as species portraits.
The birds are presented in relation to their environments and behaviours, reinforcing one of the book's central ideas: these are not static specimens, but highly adaptable animals with complex lives.
Illustration, science, and storytelling
One thing I particularly enjoyed about this project was the dialogue between scientific information and personal experience.
Working with a zoologist meant that the illustrations were developed alongside detailed knowledge of the birds and their behaviour. Fionn's writing brings together scientific research, first-hand encounters, and Irish folklore, while the artwork gives readers another way to engage with the subject.
This combination reflects the way I increasingly approach wildlife illustration. For me, natural-history art isn't simply about reproducing what an animal looks like. It can also communicate science, tell stories, and change how people perceive familiar species.
Corvids are an especially good example. They are everywhere, yet there is still an enormous amount to discover about them. A book can encourage readers to look at an ordinary jackdaw on a rooftop, a magpie in a garden or a rook in a field with a little more curiosity.
Designing the book
In addition to creating the wildlife illustrations, I designed the book, bringing together the text, artwork, typography, and page structure into a coherent visual experience.
My background in graphic design and creative direction shapes how I approach illustrated publishing projects. I enjoy working across the book's full visual system, considering how illustration and information can complement one another rather than treating the artwork as something added after the text.
That was particularly important for Encounters with corvids, where the subject matter moves between scientific information, personal observation, folklore and storytelling. The visual design needed to support those layers while keeping the birds themselves at the centre of the book.
A project close to home
As an illustrator based in Ireland, I’m particularly interested in projects that encourage people to notice the wildlife living alongside them. Corvids are an ideal subject for this because they are so deeply embedded in the Irish landscape and in our cultural imagination.
The book is also part of my wider work around Irish biodiversity and natural-history publishing, following projects such as Remarkable Creatures: a guide to some of Ireland’s disappearing animals and Animals of Irish Name and Origin.
Encounters with corvids was published by Natural World Publishing in April 2025.
If you are interested in Irish wildlife, birds, natural history and beautifully illustrated books, you can find out more about the book and view it in my online shop.
