Our CamOp Suzie 2013 on the African Wildlife Cams caught this gorgeous bird on the back of a Kudu. So what’s a Yellow-Billed Oxpecker or a Kudu for that matter?! – you may be asking yourself. (At least we were asking ourselves!)
Yellow-Billed Oxpecker on the back of a Kudu.
The Yellow-Billed Oxpecker: SWAHILI NAME: Shashi domo-njano; Askari wa kifaru
“Oxpeckers are commonly seen gobbling ticks from the backs of African mammals. Far from being welcome guests, recent studies view these birds more as vampires that dig into their hosts to reach their preferred food: blood. Most mammals seem to tolerate the wounding as the cost of this pest-control service,” (Mpala Live).
The Greater Kudu is a type of antelope: SWAHILI NAME: Tandala mkubwa
“The greater kudu has some of the most spectacular horns in the animal kingdom. An adult male’s horns make two complete spirals, with a striking ridge circling each horn. You can tell a kudu’s age by the direction of the tips of the horns: If the tips point back and out, for instance, the male is about 3 three years old,” (from the Field Guide on Mpala Live).
Kudu back with Yellow-Billed Oxpecker
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