if you want "a certain type of accuracy" in your bird paintings, dig up a copy of Roger Tory Peterson's Field Guide(s) (to birds of various regions). Rather than painting or photographing "a" bird of a species, the books feature illustrations of average/representative birds with little arrows pointing out small features which are key to identifying that species as opposed to some other. It's been a long time since I did any birding, but after getting used to the simplicity of that method, it was difficult to adapt to others that I tried.
If you want the opposite type of accuracy, I recommend Matt Kracht's "Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America" or its sequel. While it does provide reasonably accurate drawings of many birds, its focus is more on insulting that specific bird, birds in general, and birdwatchers, with the sort of venom that can only come from someone who has a great deal of love for the subject.
"Oh, and birder is the word you have to use. One is a birder. If you say, 'I'm an expert bird watcher' you've automatically tipped off that you aren't a birder"
From the always entertaining "how to be an impostor" article.
I don't know if it's the same one but my uncle used to do the paintings for Field Guide To The Birds of Australia. He's very talented, and it's not just a job for him, he has always been obsessed with birds.
