Russ Fox of Corning, NY carved this female Northern Cardinal in 2001, signing and dating the birch base in his own hand. Fox worked in the tradition of decorative bird carving that flourished across the northeastern United States from the 1970s onward, a craft that elevated working decoys into fine folk art collectibles. This piece displays his skill clearly: individual feather strokes cover the body, the wire legs terminate in finely detailed claws, and the paint captures the warm reddish-brown and gray tones of a real female cardinal with notable accuracy. The orange beak and dark facial mask are cleanly rendered. The birch cross-section base retains its natural bark. Condition rates VG+. Minor handling wear is visible on the underside of the base, and the paint shows no chips or losses on the bird itself. A solid, well-executed example of regional folk art bird carving from a named, documented maker.