oxpecker

noun

ox·​peck·​er ˈäks-ˌpe-kər How to pronounce oxpecker (audio)
: either of two small dull-colored African birds (Buphagus erythrorhynchus and B. africanus) of the starling family that feed on ticks which they pick from the backs of infested cattle and wild mammals

Examples of oxpecker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Despite the negative connotations of their blood-feeding behavior, oxpeckers are also known to offer a beneficial service to their mammalian hosts by removing parasites. Scott Travers, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 The oxpecker birds seen on the giraffe's back and flying near it have a mutually beneficial relationship with the tall mammals. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Oct. 2022 The relationship between rhinos and oxpeckers goes way back. Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 2020 Indeed, out of 100 rhino sightings, just 17 had oxpeckers perched on them. Eva Botkin-Kowacki, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020 Even when oxpeckers were more plentiful, Dr. Knight says, the rhino population was being devastated. Eva Botkin-Kowacki, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020 But according to a recent study, protection could come from an unlikely source: The small but mighty oxpecker. Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 2020 Of those sightings, the majority—56—recorded oxpeckers perched on the animal’s hide. National Geographic, 9 Apr. 2020 Birds such as oxpeckers, for example, ride on the back of the buffalo and eat lice, fleas, and other parasites while getting a lift. Kylie Mohr, National Geographic, 9 Nov. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oxpecker was in 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Oxpecker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oxpecker. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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