A yellow bird with black markings perched on top of a large flowering plant with multiple clusters of small, light brown flowers against a pale sky background.

The Monarch of the Century Plant

Green Valley, Arizona

Perched like a sovereign atop a throne of withering bloom, this hooded oriole commands a kingdom of agave blossoms. The sky, soft and moody, bows to the burst of yellow that breaks the solemn palette. A brief reign, a bold silhouette, a song carried on desert winds.