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| + | [[Image:Red-billed_Oxpecker.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|jdbirdman|John Dempsey}}<br />Richmond [[South Africa]], August 2003]] | ||
;[[: Category:Buphagus|Buphagus]] erythrorhynchus | ;[[: Category:Buphagus|Buphagus]] erythrorhynchus | ||
| − | |||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | About 9 inches in length. | + | About 9 inches (20cm) in length. |
| + | * Short, thick red bill | ||
| + | * Red eyes surrounded by large, bright-yellow eye-rings | ||
| + | * Brown-grey head, neck, wings and tail | ||
| + | * Pale yellow underside | ||
| + | Sexes similar. Juveniles like adults but first with a yellow bill, changing to dark brown within the first 2 months. Eyes dark brown. | ||
| + | ====Similar species==== | ||
| + | [[Yellow-billed Oxpecker]] has a yellow base of the bill and no eye-rings. | ||
| + | [[Image:Oxpecker1.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult and young birds on a giraffe<br />Photo by {{user|Stephen+Powell|Stephen Powell}}<br />Makalali Reserve [[South Africa]], May 2008]] | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| − | Southern and eastern [[Africa]]. | + | Southern and eastern [[Africa]].<br /> |
| + | Found in [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], southeast [[Sudan]], [[Somalia]] and south patchily to [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Zambia]], [[Malawi]], extreme southeast [[Angola]], northeast [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[Swaziland]] and south [[Mozambique]].<br /> | ||
| + | Widespread and common in game reserves. | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | Some authorities<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> list this as a monotypic species, others list six subspecies. | + | Some authorities<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> list this as a monotypic species, others list six subspecies.<br /> |
| + | Hybrids with [[Yellow-billed Oxpecker]] have been recorded. | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| − | Savanna. | + | Savanna and farmland. Some trees are required for breeding and roosting. Occurs up to 3000m. |
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | + | Almost all of their time is spend on large mammals (wild animals and domesticated). <br /> | |
| − | + | Feeds on the host's skin parasites, bothersome flies, dead host skin, and sometimes a special treat of blood from a wound.<br /> | |
| − | + | Breeding usually after rainfalls. A co-operative breeder, a pair is assisted by several helpers, which help feed the young. The nest are lined with hair taken from livestock and placed in a tree hole. Lays 2-5 eggs.<br /> | |
| + | A resident species with only some minor local movements. | ||
| + | ====Vocalisation==== | ||
| + | The call is a ''trik-quisss''. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}} |
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Buphagus+erythrorhynchus}} | {{GSearch|Buphagus+erythrorhynchus}} | ||
| − | [[Category:Birds]][[ | + | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Buphagus]] |
Revision as of 12:14, 7 November 2010
- Buphagus erythrorhynchus
Identification
About 9 inches (20cm) in length.
- Short, thick red bill
- Red eyes surrounded by large, bright-yellow eye-rings
- Brown-grey head, neck, wings and tail
- Pale yellow underside
Sexes similar. Juveniles like adults but first with a yellow bill, changing to dark brown within the first 2 months. Eyes dark brown.
Similar species
Yellow-billed Oxpecker has a yellow base of the bill and no eye-rings.
Distribution
Southern and eastern Africa.
Found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, southeast Sudan, Somalia and south patchily to Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi, extreme southeast Angola, northeast Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland and south Mozambique.
Widespread and common in game reserves.
Taxonomy
Some authorities1 list this as a monotypic species, others list six subspecies.
Hybrids with Yellow-billed Oxpecker have been recorded.
Habitat
Savanna and farmland. Some trees are required for breeding and roosting. Occurs up to 3000m.
Behaviour
Almost all of their time is spend on large mammals (wild animals and domesticated).
Feeds on the host's skin parasites, bothersome flies, dead host skin, and sometimes a special treat of blood from a wound.
Breeding usually after rainfalls. A co-operative breeder, a pair is assisted by several helpers, which help feed the young. The nest are lined with hair taken from livestock and placed in a tree hole. Lays 2-5 eggs.
A resident species with only some minor local movements.
Vocalisation
The call is a trik-quisss.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Red-billed Oxpecker. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 23 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red-billed_Oxpecker
