Plate 34. Worm eating Warbler 

Here we have Audubon’s "Worm Eating Warbler," a lithograph portraying two birds amidst branches laden with berries. The berries, ripe and abundant, are a symbol of nature's bounty, echoing ancient motifs of fertility and the earth's generosity. Consider the symbolism of the 'tree of life' depicted in the form of the branch. This motif is not merely botanical, it’s deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. We see echoes of it in ancient Mesopotamian art, where stylized trees represent immortality and connection between the earthly and divine. The berries might be seen as the fruits of knowledge, a concept that resurfaces through centuries, from the Garden of Eden to more secular interpretations of enlightenment. The cyclical nature of life is evident. Like the ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail, the consumption of the berries by the warblers speaks to an endless cycle of sustenance and renewal. This image is a potent reminder of nature's rhythms, evoking emotions tied to the ebb and flow of existence itself, which perpetually resurfaces throughout the history of art.