Oxpeckers
The oxpeckers are two species of bird which comprise the subfamily Buphaginae within the starling family Sturnidae (some ornithologists regard them as a separate family Buphagidae).
Oxpecker
Related Category: Vertebrate Zoology
common name for an African starling of the genus Buphagus.
Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus
Described by: Stanley (1814)
Alternate common name(s): None known by website authors
Old scientific name(s): None known by website authors ...
The Redbilled Oxpecker is a common bird that is usually found perched on large mammals in southern Africa. It perches on rhinos, giraffes, elephants, and cape buffalo. The Redbilled Oxpecker lives in savannahs, bushlands, and forests.
Oxpecker and Zebra, South Africa
This Month in Photo of the Day: Travel and Adventure Photos
I took this picture on a gray and rainy ...
Oxpecker, Red-billed Buphagus erythrorhynchus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Chris Fourie 2) Riaan van den Berg 3) Gerrit de Vries in South Africa
4) Dick Daniels at the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa ...
Oxpeckers: two African bird species (red-billed and yellow-billed) within the starling family that specialize in removing and eating insects from the skin of large grazing ungulates
Prehensile: capable of holding or grasping ...
Oxpeckers spend almost their whole life clinging to a giraffe, even courting and mating there. They nest elsewhere, but pull out fur from the giraffe's mane to line their nests.
Oxpecker Research Faciliy unveiled at Mokopane - National Zoological Gardens of South Africa.
Stately "Lehututu" may not be around much longer - By Fred Katerere, BUA News.
Seabird viewing off Cape Point and Simon's Town - By Patrick Cardwell.
oxpecker bird (Buphagus africanus)
Commensal or parasitic species (or larger taxonomic groups) that use this species as a host
ticks (Acari) ...
Oxpeckers or tick birds will land on a giraffe and search for ticks or insect pests to eat. This helps both the giraffe and the bird.
Giraffes have no tear ducts.
The oxpeckers are sometimes placed here as a subfamily, but the weight of evidence has shifted towards granting them full family status as a more basal member of the Sturnidae-Mimidae group, derived from an early expansion into Africa.
Redbilled Oxpecker
Redbilled Oxpeckers are birds that perch on large mammals in southern Africa.
Red Hooded Duck by Audubon
A coloring page based on John James Audubon's "Red Hooded Duck." ...
Red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus): A starling relative specialized at picking ticks and other parasites off of hippos and other large African animals.
Oxpeckers, small African birds, are often seen removing ticks from the rhinos skin and also are important in warning them of approaching danger.
Unlike buffaloes and many other animals, bushbucks do not tolerate oxpeckers or other birds that help control insect pests. As a result, they often have numerous ticks on their head and neck.
*** Black rhinos often have a symbiotic relationship with birds called "oxpeckers" (Buphagus africanus and B. erythrorhynchus).
The hippo allows the red-billed oxpecker, a relative of the starling, to alight on its back to search for ticks and other parasites.
They also rely on oxpeckers and egrets to get rid of these parasites from their skin. Their skin colour is effected by the colour of ground and mud of their habitat. They will drink twice a day and can survive for up to 5 days without water.
Although these are not inherently dangerous they may become infected if pecked or ripped open by redbilled oxpeckers Buphagus erythrorhynchus. The body build of a giraffe makes grooming difficult and results in heavy tick infestations.
Rhinos have developed a special relationship with birds such as the oxpecker, egret, and bee-eater, which is referred to as commensalism (both organisms receive some benefit from the relationship).
species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and the members of the African genus Lamprotornis are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent plumage. The two species of Buphagus are called oxpeckers.
The mud serves to cool the animals, as well as forming a protective crust when dried, which discourages insets from biting (Buchholtz, 1990). S. caffer also gets relief from pests through symbiotic relationships with birds like oxpeckers and cattle ...
 See also: Starling, Elephant, Perch, Cattle, Diver
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