In my paintings, color combinations are very important. The kestrel's colors fit perfectly into this background of bluish to yellowish lichen and mosses. Kestrels spend a lot of time hovering in the air, looking for food on the ground. Their colors are usually not so easy to see. Only when they fly in front of forests or mountains does their real beauty become visible. I wanted that excitement in my image, so I used a quiet, dark background, in which I let the bird sit instead of fly. - CB