Red-billed oxpecker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red-billed oxpecker
Adult at nest entrance
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Buphagus
Species:	erythrorynchus
Range
Synonyms
Buphagus erythrorhynchus

The red-billed oxpecker (scientific name: Buphagus erythrorynchus) is a fascinating bird found in Africa. It belongs to the oxpecker family, Buphagidae. These birds are known for their special relationship with large mammals, which is called mutualism. This means both the bird and the mammal benefit from their interaction.

Red-billed oxpeckers live in the eastern savannah areas of sub-Saharan Africa. You can find them from the Central African Republic all the way east to South Sudan and south into parts of South Africa. They are actually more common than their relatives, the yellow-billed oxpecker, in Southern Africa where both species live.

Where Red-billed Oxpeckers Live

The red-billed oxpecker is native to the open grasslands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Their home range stretches across many countries. You can spot them in Ethiopia and Somalia, through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia. They also live in southern Africa, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, and north-eastern South Africa.

What Red-billed Oxpeckers Look Like

Young oxpeckers, called juveniles, are a darker brown color than their parents. When they are very young, their beak is a dark olive green. But after about four months, their beak slowly changes to the bright red color of an adult. These birds are strong flyers, and their flight is very direct. If you hear a hissy, crackling sound like trik-quisss, it might be a red-billed oxpecker calling!

Red-billed Oxpecker Behavior

Eggs in a nest made with impala hair, Kenya

Red-billed oxpeckers are very interesting birds. They build their nests inside holes in trees. To make the nest cozy, they line it with hair that they pull from livestock animals. A female oxpecker usually lays two to five eggs, but three eggs is the most common number. When it's not breeding season, these birds gather in large, noisy flocks.

What Red-billed Oxpeckers Eat

Red-billed oxpeckers prefer to live in open areas. Their main diet consists of insects. Both their English name and their scientific name come from their habit of perching on large wild and farm mammals. They love to eat ticks that are found on these animals, like cattle.

These birds are very good at finding ticks. An adult oxpecker can eat almost 100 blood-filled female ticks in a single day! They can also eat more than 12,000 tiny tick larvae. However, ticks aren't their only food. Oxpeckers also really like blood. While they might eat ticks that are full of blood, they also feed directly on blood from wounds on the mammals. Sometimes, they even peck at these wounds to keep them open so they can continue to feed.

Oxpeckers and Rhinos

The special relationship between oxpeckers and rhinos is well-known. In the Swahili language, the red-billed oxpecker is called Askari wa kifaru. This means "the rhino's guard"! This name comes from observations in the wild. Rhinos don't have very good eyesight. Oxpeckers often sit on rhinos and can see danger from far away. When they sense a threat, they make a loud call, warning the rhino that something is wrong. This helps the rhino stay safe.

Images for kids

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  Perched on an impala ewe

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  An adult (left) and a younger oxpecker (right) on an impala

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  Perched on an African buffalo

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  A row of red-billed oxpeckers on a Thornicroft's giraffe in Zambia