From Decoy to Art, by Master Carver Jim Burcio

Decoy carving is an original American art form. As such, it comes from no other continent or culture. The modern bird carvings that we enjoy today originated from the hand carved decoy. The path from decoy to art had several historical steps. In the early days European settlers observed the Indians using reed decoys to attract waterfowl closer to the shoreline. The European woodcrafters knew that they could fashion a sturdy decoy out of wood and get years of use out of it. In 1918 the Migratory Bird Act greatly reduced the number of bird species that could be harvested, and imposed hunting seasons and harvest limits. In the late 1930’s plastic became the material of choice and lightweight decoys were mass-produced. As the plastic era signaled the end of the wooden hand carved hunting decoy, it repositioned the handcrafted decoy into a piece of art. Now carvers began spending more time on their creations and charging more money as these pieces of art were headed for the place of honor on the mantel.

Over time, decoy carving expanded to include all of the North American birds that fascinate us. Man, art, and birds have long been connected… with the native environment acting as the glue. We are very fortunate to live in Northern California and enjoy an abundance of native birds. With our coastline and our rice lands, we can enjoy migrating shorebirds from November to May.


Bird carving brings the artist one step closer than the binoculars and the spotting scope. When a bird carver observes a Snipe in the wild, they go beyond the basic identification of the bird to include that the bill is 2.75 inches long and commonly held at a 30 degree angle, the eyes are 7 millimeter brown, the tail is almost invisible and compressed, the shafts of the primaries form a slight “sweep” when they fold in the rest position. Bird carvers have a passion for their subject matter. So much so, that they literally are holding it in their hand as they carve the project. Some carvers, myself included, visit vertebrate zoology labs at bay area colleges to examine specimens held in storage. This level of research is sometimes needed when the bird is highly reclusive, such as the Green Heron.

The wood used for a carving project may be a functional choice, such as Sugar Pine for a smooth project or Basswood for a textured project. Other popular carving woods include Redwood, Jelutong, and Tupelo.

We are very fortunate to have an annual Wildfowl Art Festival held in Sacramento. This show attracts entries from all over the United States and Canada. For more information about this unique event and the carving association that hosts it, go to www.pacificflyway.org

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Jim Burcio is a master carver and has competed nationally in wildfowl carving shows. He has been the featured carver at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in San Francisco (2001), the Lynn House Museum in Antioch (2002), and displayed his work in the McHenry Museum in Modesto (2006). Jim was also one of three carvers who preformed an “Artist in Action” exhibit at the Randall Museum in San Francisco (2004). For the past fifteen years, Jim has annually taught decoy-carving seminars, and judged at the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association’s Wildfowl Art Festival in Sacramento. In addition to his carving accomplishments, Jim has written several articles for the California Waterfowl Magazine regarding how to carve and paint decoys.