How to Draw a Bird in Nest

Step 1: The head

Near the top left draw a big round head, a little wider than tall, with 3 soft puffs on top.

Tip The tuft is 3 gentle hills, not spikes.

Step 2: Stubby beak

From the front of the head draw a short fat beak out to a point and back to the head.

Tip Keep the beak short and fat, not a long bill.

Step 3: One big eye

A finger behind the beak draw a big round eye, bigger than the beak is long. Black dot and shine.

Step 4: Plump body

Start on the back of the head. Curve down, round a fat belly, and up to stop under the beak.

Tip The body is a plump egg under the head, narrower than the head.

Step 5: Tail up

From the bird's bottom draw a fan tail pointing up and back, wide at the end. Add 2 feather lines.

Tip Sitting on the nest, the bird cocks its tail up like a little flag.

Step 6: Folded wing

Start under the head. Draw a wing line, round at the front, stopping at the rump. Add 2 feather lines.

Step 7: The nest bowl

Level with the wing's bottom draw a wide smile across the tummy. Hang a deep U from its two ends.

Tip The tummy and the bottom of the wing hide inside the nest.

Step 8: The branch

Under the nest draw a long band from one side of the paper to the other, behind the bowl.

Step 9: The rim

From one end of the smile draw a low arch behind the bird to the other end.

Tip The arch hides behind the bird and peeks out on each side.

Step 10: Twigs

Inside the bowl draw 2 long sagging twig lines. Add a short twig poking out past the rim each side.

Step 11: Wood nest and branch

Colour the nest bowl, the rim and the branch with a wood-brown crayon.

Step 12: Blue head, orange beak

Colour the head blue, leaving the eye white. Then colour the beak orange.

Step 13: Navy wing, cream chest

Colour the wing and the tail navy blue, and the chest cream down to the rim. Go over your lines.