Page 3 - 21 February 2025

THE REPORTER 21 FEBRUARY 2025 · PAGE 3

farmland, where they require often territorial during
large wild ungulates and breeding and defend their
domestic stock to forage on; nesting sites. The breeding
they clamber agilely over season usually coincides
host mammals, gleaning with wetter months when
ticks, mites, and other food is abundant, and the
e c t o p a r a s i t e s , a n d chicks are altricial, relying on
occasionally drinking host their parents for warmth and
blood. As they fly between food until they are ready to
large mammals, they give a leave the nest. These
distinctive “tsik-tsik” call. behaviors ensure the survival
of the species and support its
They are highly social and
vocal, often seen in flocks, role in the ecosystem,
and are adaptable, feeding particularly its relationship
on a variety of animals and with large herbivores.
scavenging from carcasses The Red-billed Oxpecker is
when necessary. Found currently classified as Least
across sub-Saharan Africa in Concern by the International
For almost 20 years, BirdLife savannas, grasslands, and Union for Conservation of
South Africa has named a open woodlands, oxpeckers Nature (IUCN). This status
Bird of the Year. This play a significant role in the indicates that the species is
tradition is a way of ecosystem, particularly by not facing significant
championing one of South their controlling of tick immediate threats to its Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus), an iconic bird known for its symbiotic
Africa’s many incredible bird populations. population over its entire relationship with large herbivores and its vital role in the ecosystem.
species. The Red-billed range, but that doesn’t tell
Oxpecker (Buphagus The breeding behavior of the whole story. In the
erythrorhynchus) is the Bird this species is fascinating species’ South African
of the Year for 2025. and involves several key range, “It represents a
aspects.
The Red-billed Oxpecker, conservation success story,
a l s o k n o w n a s t h e They typically nest in tree as its numbers have
R o o i b e k r e n o s t e r v o ë l cavities or holes, where they increased and its range has
(Afrikaans), ihlalankomo lay 2 to 4 eggs, which are expanded”, says our Chief
(isiZulu), and ihlalanyathi incubated by both parents. Executive Officer, Mark D.
T h e ox p e c ke r s f o r m Anderson. For decades, their
(isiXhosa) is a fascinating
monogamous pairs during population and range was
bird known for its complex
relationship with large the breeding season, and shrinking, but in recent
years, thanks to concerted
herbivores, such as buffalo, both the male and female conservation efforts, the tide
giraffes, and rhinos. share responsibility for
incubating the eggs, and has turned. Dr Lorinda Hart,
A bulbul-sized olive-brown multiple helpers from the our Birds & Agrochemicals useful species by using more since the reintroduction this collective conservation
bird that sports a diagnostic flock help in caring for the Project Manager shares that o x p e c k e r - f r i e n d l y programme began, have all project and the resultant
all-red bill and a red eye chicks. The chicks are fed by “Although the population alternatives [to poisonous been contributing factors to growing numbers of this
surrounded by a fleshy regurgitation, with both increase can partly be dips] to control ticks and the resounding success of vitally important small bird.
yellow wattle. The juvenile p a r e n t s a n d h e l p e r s attributed to reintroductions other ectoparasites on their
lacks the bright bill and eye contributing food, mainly into areas where they had cattle and game.” Below are photographs of the Red-billed Oxpecker in the
coloration. Small groups small insects and parasites previously been extirpated, Kruger National Park
occur in savanna and like ticks. Oxpeckers are farmers have assisted this As early as the 1900’s, the
Red-Billed Oxpecker had
seen a huge decline in
numbers and was classified
as locally extinct in the
Eastern Cape. It is believed
to be the result of the
dwindling number of their
preferred host being the
rhino and buffalo. This
resulted in the oxpeckers
moving to farming grounds
where the birds were using
local livestock as their host Red-billed Oxpecker next
species. to its nest.
The dips used to dip the
livestock contained a fatal
chemical ‘arsenic trioxide’
which had a devastating
effect on the oxpecker
population. Oxpeckers
feeding on the dipped cattle
soon fell prey to their now
poisonous ticks and died
within 48 hours after
feeding.
There have been focused
conservation efforts from the
1980’s onwards to re-
establish populations of
Reb-Billed Oxpeckers in the
Eastern Cape. Red-billed Oxpecker. I love the way they hide from the
rain under the animal.
A number of birds taken
from the Kruger National
Park were reintroduced to
areas in the Eastern Cape
which have been rewilded
from livestock farms back to
privately owned game
reserves.
Initially 83 birds were
translocated with several
more flocks that followed
over the years.
The growing number of
Game Reserves with land
under protection; healthy
inclining numbers of host
species like buffalo, rhino,
giraffe and eland as well as
the absence of toxic dips