Skip to main content
Painted: 10/18/2016
(This mural has since been removed.)
About the Bird: Native to the Southwest, the House Finch made its eastern debut around 1940, after some were being sold—illegally—as pets in New York. When the feds swooped in, pet store owners released their finches. The birds then spread west from New York, meeting the native population on the western plains. Now they can be found coast to coast, suggesting an adaptable nature that may help their survival in a changing climate. With rising temperatures will come more frequent spring heat waves, however, that will place the bird under additional stress.
About the Artist: Originally from Russia, Mr. Mustart has graced walls all over the New York tri-state area with murals. Though he works primarily in an urban environment, he never fails to notice the natural world around him and incorporates that into his work. Of the House Finch he says, “It’s a beautiful bird, and I wish I could help it. For now, raising awareness is the least I can do.”
Former Location: