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About Me
I'm Sarah MacLean, a scientist, educator, and artist in love with all aspects of the natural world, especially birds.
I have a B.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University and a PhD in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley. My personal research has covered diverse topics in animal behavior, conservation, and ecology, and I have conducted field work in landscapes ranging from lush tropical forests to the remote arctic tundra.
I am excited to create scientific illustrations spanning a wide range of styles. I hope my work will be entertaining for others who appreciate the natural world, as well as accurate enough to be used by scientists and educators.
If you like my work, please consider contacting me for a commission, or supporting me on Patreon.
What's a Bennu Bird?
The Bennu Bird was a deity in ancient Egypt, and may have been the inspiration for the phoenix in Greek mythology.
The Bennu was associated with the gods Ra and Atum, and was said to have played a role in the creation of the world. It was also described as periodically renewing itself like the sun.
Drawings show the Bennu Bird as a gray heron with a two-feathered crest. The inspiration for the Bennu may have been a large species of heron that once lived on the Arabian Peninsula. The species was named the Bennu heron, Ardea bennuides.