The carved bird decoy is the only truly American folk art – for the decoy as an aid to hunting was devised by the American Indians and has grown as a useful art since the days of the colonists. Decoy-carving was developed and refined to such a degree that now early and well-carved birds are prized by collectors. This book, full of stunning photographs, shows the best examples from both public and private collections, and gives the reader an idea of the great range, vigor, and variety of the birds. There are sandpipers, curlews, ducks, geese, swans, gulls, herons, crows, loons, and many others – (loons, being wary, were used as confidence birds). Along with the birds are explanations of the highly varied and ingenious methods of construction.