Hybridizer Monty Byers noted “Thornbird’s dark violet horns extended an inch or more from the beards. Like talons, they create an appealing contrast to the flower’s delicate shadings. These ecru and greenish tan shades are lighter in the standards and darker in the falls.” Thornbird provides numerous blooms, and often yields more than one stem per rhizome.  May have a slight scent. (Byers, 1989)Honorable Mention 1991, Award of Merit 1993, Wister Medal 1996, Dykes Medal 1997