Redbilled Oxpecker - on back of buffalo - Sabi Sands Game Reserve - South Africa

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Redbilled Oxpecker - on back of buffalo - Sabi Sands Game Reserve - South Africa

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Redbilled Oxpecker - on back of buffalo
Sabi Sands Game Reserve - South Africa
Buphagus erythrorhynchus
Geoff Trinder
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Ardea are an independent specialist photographic library supplying high quality images of wildlife, pets and the environment

Media ID 5267786

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Buffalo Buffalos Hitchhiking Oxpecker Oxpeckers Piggyback Red Billed South Africa Symbiosis With Other Animals Mixed Species

FEATURES IN THESE COLLECTIONS

> Animals > Birds > Passerines > Starlings > Red Billed Oxpecker

> Animals > Mammals > Bovidae > African Buffalo

EDITORS COMMENTS
. In this snapshot captured by Geoff Trinder, we witness a truly unique and comical sight in the heart of Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Meet our feathered friend, the Redbilled Oxpecker, who has found an ingenious way to travel around the African wilderness - piggybacking on a buffalo! With its vibrant red beak and striking black-and-white plumage, this cheeky oxpecker perches confidently on the sturdy back of its bovine companion. It seems that these two have formed an unlikely bond amidst their shared habitat. As nature enthusiasts, we can't help but marvel at this incredible display of symbiosis between bird and mammal. While the buffalo provides a safe perch for our hitchhiking hero, it benefits from having its loyal avian passenger skillfully removing ticks and other pesky insects from its hide. This photograph not only showcases the stunning wildlife diversity found in South Africa's national parks but also reminds us that even in nature's realm, unexpected friendships can blossom. So next time you're out exploring Africa's untamed landscapes, keep your eyes peeled for more extraordinary encounters like this one – where hitchhikers aren't just human!

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