Meet a small bird with a big personality. It’s usually around 20 centimeters (8 in) long, with soft brown feathers, a pale yellow belly, and a bright yellow beak that has a red tip—hence the name. Its eyes are striking too, with a yellow ring around a red center, giving it a sharp and alert look. This bird lives in the grassy savannas and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa, where it spends most of its time on the backs of large animals like buffalo, giraffes, antelope, and even rhinos.
The yellow-billed oxpecker feeds mainly on ticks, insects, and parasites found on these animals. It also sometimes feeds on small wounds, which helps keep infections away. With strong claws and feet that grip tightly, it can hold on to its host even when the animal is moving. It’s a very social bird, often seen in pairs or groups, chatting noisily as they work.
What really sets this bird apart is its unusual partnership with big mammals. Most birds fly off to trees or bushes when they need food, but the yellow-billed oxpecker sticks close to its living “buffet” on four legs. Unlike other birds that just eat insects from the ground or air, this bird climbs around on its host animal, picking off ticks and fleas as a source of food. Its beak is shaped perfectly to pluck parasites from fur or skin. That might sound odd, but many scientists think the bird’s actions can help keep animals healthier by reducing parasites and infections.
Another thing that makes the yellow-billed oxpecker different is how much time it spends on animals. While other birds might land for a moment and fly off, this one stays put, riding around for hours like a passenger. Its calls also act as a warning signal—some animals seem to rely on the bird’s sharp calls to alert them of danger.
Distribution
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central Af. Rep.
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Kenya
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leone
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
ZimbabweAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic / Monomorphic (size)
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
