Stella...regularly visited the Bronx Zoo where, like the Botanical Garden across the street, visitors could wander between displays spanning diverse ecosystems of the world. Stella would have seen a range of animals in naturalistic habitats. The birds, in particular, must have fascinated Stella, and much like his hybrid flowers, bizarre, feathered animals began to appear in his pictures—from the fantastical to the real...Stella’s whimsical rule-breaking approach to representation would remain a feature of his artistic expression throughout his career.


— Stephanie Mayer Heydt, excerpt from "Joseph Stella: Visionary Nature"