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Yellow-billed Oxpecker — printable fact sheet
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Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Buphagus africanus
The Yellow-billed Oxpecker is a medium-sized bird native to sub-Saharan Africa, recognized by its brown plumage, striking yellow bill with a red tip, and pale rump. It is most often seen perched on large mammals such as buffalo, giraffes, and antelope, feeding on ticks, dead ski…
Did you know?
- Despite their beneficial reputation, Yellow-billed Oxpeckers sometimes peck at wounds to keep them open and feed on blood, which can slow healing for their hosts.
- Yellow-billed Oxpeckers can consume thousands of ticks in a single day, greatly benefiting their mammalian hosts. They have specially adapted feet that allow them to cling tightly to fur and skin, even while their host is moving. These birds also make a distinctive hissing sound when alarmed, which can warn host animals of nearby danger.
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