Viechtau is a region on Lake Traunsee in the Salzkammergut. Over centuries, a tradition of carved and painted wooden birds developed here. Due to extreme poverty, Maria Theresa granted these people the privilege of distributing their handicrafts on merchant ships within the Austrian monarchy free of charge.

While the carving work was mainly carried out by men, the colouring was often done by women. Birds were the main products, but spoons and bowls were also produced.

Given that a significant proportion of the species depicted are now considered extinct or highly endangered, these objects are of great documentary value for modern ornithology. In addition to species-specific characteristics, the carvers also took into account the different age stages of the birds.

The craft of bird carving in Viechtau reached its peak in the 19th century, but only existed on this scale until the First World War. This led to a decline in demand, which ultimately resulted in the decline of this craft.