This Giant Mural Features Every Family of Birds in the World

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center in Ithaca, New York, has an impressive new mural that captures the evolution of birds. Jane Kim, a former intern, painted the 3000-square-foot piece, called From So Simple a Beginning: Celebrating the Evolution and Diversity of Birds, to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Cornell Lab. The mural is the only piece of work to feature every modern family of bird in one place, according to Kim.

The enormous painting features birds from 243 families, all painted to scale. There are also 27 dinosaurs and other avian ancestors included to show the evolution of the animals. Each depiction was the result of detailed research and sketching. Kim, founder of the environmentally conscious Ink Dwell studio, and seven assistants spent a whopping 16 months painting the wall; on average one bird was painted a day.

The gigantic mural is too big to properly photograph, but Cornell Lab will be creating an interactive feature online that lets viewers move around the room in February 2016.

Ink Dwell

Shailee Shah

[h/t: Slate]