Oxpeckers and Rhinoceros
Two species of oxpecker originate in Africa: red-billed and yellow-billed oxpeckers. The birds are about 8 inches long, brown and have wide bills and sharp claws. The oxpecker lives upon the rhinoceros as well as other large animals, such as cattle, giraffes and zebras. The bird feeds on the ticks, horsefly larvae and other parasites that it finds on the rhinoceros. This feeds the bird and cleans the rhinoceros. [28] |
The oxpecker stands guard while living and feeding on the rhinoceros, watching for danger. The bird warns the rhinoceros of danger by making loud chirping or hissing noises. The rhinoceros treats the oxpecker as a guest. The oxpecker's role has resulted in the given Swahili name of "askari wa kifaru"; this translates in English to "the rhino's guard." [29] |
The rhinoceros and the oxpecker have a mutual symbiotic relationship. A mutual symbiotic relationship occurs when two organisms affect each other in a mutually beneficial way. The oxpecker receives sustenance by feeding upon the rhinoceros, and the rhinoceros receives the removal of parasites and protection when the bird warns of approaching predators. There are several well-known associations between birds and large mammals. Cattle egrets, for example, are often see in the company of buffalo and elephants. [30]
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