Eileen Mayo
England / Australia / Aotearoa New Zealand, b.1906, d.1994
Pāteke / Brown Duck or Brown Teal
- 1976
- Gouache and coloured pencil on paper
- Purchased, 2005
- 100 x 125mm
- 2005/019
Location: Touring Gallery C
Tags: animals, birds (animals), stars (motifs)
Exhibited with Eileen Mayo's 'Whio / Blue Duck' for the exhibition 'Bird Land: Te Kāhui Manu'.
The two endemic ducks portrayed here—whio (blue duck) and pāteke (brown teal)—can appear as a pair at first glance, although they occupy very different habitats. The whio is adapted to fast-flowing rivers and torrent-fed waterways, while the pāteke inhabits still, sheltered wetlands, ponds and estuaries. Both are uncommon and have declined through habitat loss, including changes to freshwater systems and the impact of introduced predators. Populations are now supported through ongoing conservation work.
(Bird Land: Te Kāhui Manu 15 August 2026 – 8 February 2027)
Exhibition History
Related
Notes
Eileen Mayo
It's 107 years since this multi-talented artist, described by art historian Kenneth Clark as 'outstandingly good', was born in Norwich, England.