Protecting bird habitats -- with a colouring book

What started out as a pandemic-project for a Beaconsfield, Que. artist has taken flight.

Lisa Kimberly Glickman creates colouring books based on birds, and donates the proceeds to protect their habitats.

“I would say I’m an informal birdwatcher,” Glickman told CTV News. “I love birds, I love knowing about them.”

During the long months of lockdown, Glickman hatched the idea to make detailed drawings of birds and create colouring books with them.

She’s now produced two books in just two years, with the first earning $1,000 for Bird Protection Quebec (BPQ).

Her second book is a tribute to waterbirds, with proceeds going to the McGill Bird Observatory (MBO) located on the wetlands near the Morgan Arboreturm in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue.

“They collect data [that’s] useful to help protect the birds down the road,” Glickman explained.

The colouring book contains birdwatching facts and places to write notes, alongside pages to colour.

“It really requires you to be still and mindful,” she said.

Glickman’s art will also be on display on Sunday at Centennial Hall in Beaconsfield, in the first in-person expo in years hosted by the local artist association.