oxpecker

[oks-pek-er]

noun

either of two African starlings of the genus Buphagus, characterized by their habit of riding on large, wild animals and domestic cattle to feed on ticks.

Origin of oxpecker

First recorded in 1840–50; ox + pecker

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for oxpecker

Contemporary Examples of oxpecker

Minutes later, a flurry of oxpecker birds rose into the air.
Walking With Wildebeests: Exploring the Serengeti on Foot
Joanna Eede
July 9, 2013

British Dictionary definitions for oxpecker

oxpecker

noun

either of two African starlings, Buphagus africanus or B. erythrorhynchus, having flattened bills with which they obtain food from the hides of cattleAlso called: tick-bird

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012