REGAL RED TAILED HAWK Majestic Animal Silver Coin 20$ Canada 2016

The reverse design by Canadian artist Emily Damstra uses selective colour to highlight the engraved depiction of a red-tailed hawk in its natural setting. In a unique twist, this large, broad-shaped bird is viewed from the perspective of its prey, as though the viewer were staring up at the sky from ground level; the hawk is depicted in a controlled dive on outstretched wings, with talons ready and a fixed gaze that conveys the strength, fierceness and determination associated with this species. Intricate engraving recreates the smallest of details—from the softly feathered legs to the textured appearance of its overlapping feathers—while the selective application of reddish-brown, cream and yellow colours recreate the whitish underbelly and predominantly brown-spotted patterning of the western subspecies (Buteo jamaicensis calurus). In the background, the towering peaks and trees of Western Canada rise up beneath the great expanse of sky—a fitting, grand setting for this celebration of a majestic species.