An artist has gained her postgraduate degree in fine arts with a sculpture of endangered birds which draws inspiration from her West Devon home.

Kate Anstead enjoys observing birds when she is walking round the Bere Peninsula and used her concern at their plight to create a piece called Red List named after the official international register of birds whose populations are too low.

The piece features 70 ceramic bird forms, representing the 70 species whose numbers are at risk of declining too far. Some of them are based on specific species and are standing on a sand and granite base which is inspired by her walks on Dartmoor.

Red List is her final Master of Arts (MA) piece which is designed to make viewers think about at-risk bird life in the UK and people are invited to pick up the bird sculptures to help them reflect on how humans are harming wildlife.

She said: “I am very proud of my work. The sculpture and research is the result of a lot of hard work and inspired by where I live and my local environment. I am lucky to live in a lovely place close to countryside and footpaths to access it. I see many birds here, including the curlew and heron, which I will be working a bit more on now I’ve finished my MA.

“The piece is designed not just to be something attractive to look at and enjoy, but to provoke thought and interaction. In this case the birds are here to be handled and help people think about the way we are impacting on bird populations. It’s a combination of land-use such as building, which is causing loss of habitat with climate change and pesticide-use which is harming bird populations.”

Kate’s sculpture stems from her long-held interest in birds; she has chickens and aviary birds and used to breed greenfinches. Her first degree in fine art from Wimbledon School of Art led her to specialise in sculpture and she uses varied materials, such as wood, clay, ceramics and plaster. Her MA is from Plymouth Arts University and her final piece has been exhibited in Chagford.