Red-billed Oxpecker on a Cape Buffalo's Side (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)
Sabi Sabi Game Reserve
South Africa
The red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) is a passerine bird in the starling and myna family, Sturnidae; some ornithologists regard the oxpeckers to be in a family by themselves, the Buphagidae. It is native to the savannah of sub-Saharan Africa, from the Central African Republic east to South Sudan and south to northern and eastern South Africa. Its range overlaps that of the less widespread, yellow-billed oxpecker.
The red-billed oxpecker nests in tree holes lined with hair plucked from livestock. It lays 2–5 eggs, with three being the average. Outside the breeding season it forms large, chattering flocks.
The preferred habitat is open country, and the red-billed oxpecker eats insects. An adult will take nearly 100 engorged female Boophilus decoloratus ticks, or more than 12,000 larvae in a day. The red-billed oxpecker feeds on ticks found on other animals.
However, their preferred food is blood, and while they may take ticks bloated with blood, they also feed on it directly, pecking at the mammal's wounds to keep them open to more parasites.
This is a medium-sized passerine, 20 cm long with strong feet. The red-billed oxpecker has plain brown upperparts and head, buff underparts and a pale rump. The bill is red, and adults have a yellow eye ring. Its flight is strong and direct, and the call is a hissy crackling trik-quisss. – Wikipedia
Red-billed Oxpecker on a Cape Buffalo's Side (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)
Sabi Sabi Game Reserve
South Africa
The red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) is a passerine bird in the starling and myna family, Sturnidae; some ornithologists regard the oxpeckers to be in a family by themselves, the Buphagidae. It is native to the savannah of sub-Saharan Africa, from the Central African Republic east to South Sudan and south to northern and eastern South Africa. Its range overlaps that of the less widespread, yellow-billed oxpecker.
The red-billed oxpecker nests in tree holes lined with hair plucked from livestock. It lays 2–5 eggs, with three being the average. Outside the breeding season it forms large, chattering flocks.
The preferred habitat is open country, and the red-billed oxpecker eats insects. An adult will take nearly 100 engorged female Boophilus decoloratus ticks, or more than 12,000 larvae in a day. The red-billed oxpecker feeds on ticks found on other animals.
However, their preferred food is blood, and while they may take ticks bloated with blood, they also feed on it directly, pecking at the mammal's wounds to keep them open to more parasites.
This is a medium-sized passerine, 20 cm long with strong feet. The red-billed oxpecker has plain brown upperparts and head, buff underparts and a pale rump. The bill is red, and adults have a yellow eye ring. Its flight is strong and direct, and the call is a hissy crackling trik-quisss. – Wikipedia