Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Red - Billed Oxpecker Sighting at River Bend Lodge

Although we have had the odd rare sighting......this is the first time we have captured the 'Near threatened' Red - Billed Oxpecker on camera, to prove their existence!!

Roberts Bird Guide has this to say: "RED - BILLED OXPECKER (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)
STATUS Locally common resident; range drastically reduced, and now regarded as Near -threatened".

These birds were re introduced by SAN PARKS around 10 years ago after they were all but wiped out from being poisoned by the dip cattle farmer's used to dip their animals. We are happy to report that they are once again being spotted and seem to be increasing in numbers!!

Unfortunately the light was really bad so our image is not of the best quality. We have included some other images of the breeding herd of Buffalo which came past River Bend Lodge late yesterday evening - the pair of Red - Billed Oxpeckers accompanying  them.





(Click on an Image to enlarge. All images the property of River Bend Lodge and michaelpricephotos and may only be used with permission.)

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