In this second of seven documentaries produced in partnership with Academy Award-nominated filmmaker James Spione, the focus turns to waterfowl hunting traditions and the craft of decoy carving.

On the remote barrier islands of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, generations of decoy carvers have honed their craft and passed it down to their children. From mere subsistence tool to market hunting yield booster, and finally, to rarefied art object, Spirit of the Bird explores how this uniquely American folk tradition has evolved over the centuries.

A remarkably thoughtful cast of rough-hewn coastal characters offers a poignant meditation on the myriad ways hunting, art, and memory intersect in the lives of those keeping traditions alive.