These ordinary, everyday birds that most people take for granted, or are even annoyed by. A crow doesn't have a colorful plumage, or an impressive singing voice. She's a dime a dozen, not worth paying attention to. And she's perfectly content that way.

But crows - and other corvid birds - are anything but ordinary. They become more mysterious the more you know about them: Their high intelligence, often compared to that of primates or seven-year-olds. Their creative problem solving capabilities, and how they craft and use tools. Their language and impressive vocabulary. Their complex social structures, and how they mate for life. The way they've adapted to us humans, and learned to read our behavior, and even recognize and remember our faces.

And their low-key, unflashy brand of beauty: The hooded crow in his stylish, black and grey tuxedo. The magpie and her blue-and-green shimmering tail. The sleek, black plumage of the raven. The silvery coat and ice-blue gaze of the jackdaw. Not to mention the jays, who hardly look like they belong in the same family.

Corvids are endlessly fascinating to me. And with these 15 watercolor paintings, I do my best to do them justice. In the hopes that you might come to see what I see when I look at these birds: respect and admiration.