Yellow-billed Oxpecker
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| Yellow-billed Oxpecker Conservation status: Lower risk | ||||||||||||||
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| Buphagus africanus Linnaeus, 1766 |
The Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Buphagus africanus, is a bird in the starling family Sturndidae, along with the starlings and mynas. This is a group of passerine birds native to sub-Saharan African savannah.
The Yellow-billed Oxpecker nest in holes lined with hair plucked from livestock. They lay 2-3 eggs. Outside the breeding season they form large, chattery flocks.
They are medium-sized passerines with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are fairly gregarious.
Their preferred habitat is open country, and they eat insects. Both the English and scientific names arise from their habit of perching on large wild and domesticated mammals such as cattle and eating ticks.
The Yellow-billed Oxpecker has plain brown upperparts and head, buff underparts and a pale rump. The bill is yellow, tipped red.
References
- Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1