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| Location: |
Africa - Eastern Africa - Uganda |
| Subject: |
Ecology - Interspecific Relations |
| Species: |
Black Rhino |
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Of all birds, those which associate most with the larger mammals are the red-billed and yellow-billed oxpeckers. It climbs all over its animal hosts and pecks at the ticks or other external parasites on which it feeds. And as it operates freely on the more sensitive parts such as eyes, ears, and nostrils, as well as open sores and wounds, these attentions cannot be very comfortable. Most commonly ox-peckers associate with buffalo, rhinoceros and giraffe. In return for the easy living which these creatures provide, the bird acts as a sentinel, warning the animal of the approach of danger. It gives this warning by means of its peculiar cackling call, a function which is particularly valuable to the rhino whose sight is bad and whose other senses are extremely dull.
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Living off your friends
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