An early 18th century painting of an animated scene of various birds, ornamental fowl and ducks who are alarmed by the seemingly nonchalant bird of prey flying overhead.

Marmaduke Cradock (Somerset 1660-London 1716) was an English painter of birds and other animals. Horace Walpole wrote that 'I have seen some pieces by his hand which he painted with a freedom and a fire that entitles them to more distinction'. According to Walpole, Cradock deliberately shunned aristocratic patronage. 'He worked in general by the day, and for dealers who retailed his works; possessing that conscious dignity of talent which made him hate to be employed by men whose birth and fortune confined his fancy, and restrained his freedom'.
His work was heavily influenced by other painters of birds such as Melchior d'Hondecoeter, Pieter Casteels and Jacob Bogdani, however Cradock tended to paint domestic English birds and common wild species rather than the exotic varieties chosen by these other artists.