"Cowbird Companions" is an imposing yet playful portrait of the majestic American bison. His massive shoulders provide a temporary resting perch for the nearly constant companion, the cowbird. In a symbiotic relationship, cowbirds followed herds of bison through grassland to catch and eat the insects that were stirred up from the animal’s feet. Thus cowbirds were originally called buffalo birds by early trail herders and cowboys but after the bison herds were decimated, the name “cowbird” was adapted. The nomadic life of the herd prevents cowbirds from building nests and nurturing their young so they evolved into parasitic brooders, depositing their eggs in any available nest built by other species.

The bison is a symbol of North America’s Native American heritage. In 1991 delegates from 19 native American tribes formed the Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative (ITBC) whose goals is to restore the bison to millions of acres of tribal lands — and to a central place in tribal life. “To reestablish healthy buffalo populations on tribal lands is to reestablish hope for Indian people,” said Fred DuBray, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux.