Birds of Africa

Handcrafted Wooden Birds

All our birds are made by hand at our premises in Knysna.  They are all 100% wooden (except for the sunbird beak that is brass and the eyes that are imported).  Further, they are not turned from a template.  Each one is created individually and is thus unique.

The process begins with a plank of wood obtained from our local wood merchants.  An outline of the chosen bird is drawn on the wood (from a template created by ourselves) in 3D format.  Using a band-saw the brid outline/shape is then cut out.  Most of the bodies and heads are cut separately, but some as a single piece.  These cut shapes are then shaped on a band-sander, using the eye as a guide, to approximate the shape of the given bird design.   The bird is given further detail in shape, like wing or eye, with a hand-held band-sander.  The above part of the process is done in a separate area and not at our shop, due to the noise.  The rest of the bird is completed in our shop in town.  Here the birds gets a further sanding and smoothing down, and rounding off where necessary.  The bird is then carved, providing the feather detail.  This is done using a craft knife.  Yes, we do have carving tools, but this is what our carvers prefer to use with years of experience.  At the same time holes are drilled into the head to placement of eyes on completion.  The carving in hand-sanded again.  The bird is placed in lead-free sanding sealer to raise any left-over 'wood-hairs'.  The bird is then gently sanded again.  Yes, we do use a lot of sandpaper of varying grits. The bird is then sealed to protect the wood from climatic and other environmental changes.  A unique blending technique is then used to paint the birds with oil paint.  This is done by hand and no spray-guns are used in the process.  Some of the birds require more than one coat of paint.   The bird is then sealed again for protection.  The eyes are fitted.  You now have a unique bird that can NEVER be recreated as it is.  This is why we believe that our birds do not need to be numbered as the one you choose IS your collector's item.