Nature · 2
Which African bird removes ticks and parasites from large mammals like rhinos and buffalo, but sometimes pecks open wounds to drink blood instead?
Answer
Oxpecker
Oxpeckers perch on large mammals to eat ticks and parasites, but they also peck at open wounds and feed on blood, making their relationship with their hosts variable rather than purely beneficial.
💡 Did you know?
Oxpecker birds eat parasites off large animals, but sometimes peck open wounds and drink blood—the relationship shifts between helpful and parasitic mid-interaction.
Other options people guess
- Egyptian plover
- Cattle egret
- Red-billed hornbill
Topics
- birds
- symbiosis
- africa
- animal-behavior
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