The oxpecker is a species of bird that if frequently seen on African animals such as the Cape buffalo, as in this painting. The connection between the oxpecker and the Cape buffalo is a kind of symbiosis called mutualism, where both species benefit from the other. In this case, the oxpecker gets a meal from the buffalo in the form of ticks, and the buffalo gets these parasites removed.

Birders reading this have quickly realized the the bird depicted here is not an oxpecker, nor even an African species of bird. Rather, this is a house finch, a fairly common species in the United States.

As such, the painting features two species that live on opposite sides of the world, symbolizing the profound interconnectedness of life despite physical distances. The result is a striking and thoughtful work that offers both visual splendor and a sense of poetic unity.