Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Bale Mountains National Park
17 Verified sightings at Bale Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026
18,478 Verified sightings across all 41 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Red-billed Oxpecker

The red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorynchus) is a passerine bird in the oxpecker family, Buphagidae. It is native to the eastern savannah of sub-Saharan Africa, from the Central African Republic east to South Sudan and south to northern and eastern South Africa. It is more widespread than the yellow-billed oxpecker in Southern Africa, where their ranges overlap.

The scientific name comes from Ancient Greek βοῦς (boûs), meaning "ox", and φάγος (phágos), meaning "eater". The specific name comes from ἐρυθρός (eruthrós), meaning "red", and ῥύγχος (rhúnkhos), meaning "snout". The red-billed oxpecker is a native of the savanna of sub-Saharan Africa. It ranges across Ethiopia and Somalia through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia to southern Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, and north-eastern South Africa.

A juvenile oxpecker is darker brown than its parents. Its bill is dark olive at first, but gradually takes on adult colouration after four months. Its flight is strong and direct, and their call is a hissy crackling trik-quisss.

The red-billed oxpecker nests in tree holes lined with hair plucked from... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Bale Mountains National Park

Abyssinian Thrush
LC

Abyssinian Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus abyssinicus

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Streaky Seedeater
LC

Streaky Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Crithagra striolata

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Moorland Chat
LC

Moorland Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pinarochroa sordida

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Tacazze Sunbird
LC

Tacazze Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nectarinia tacazze

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Baglafecht Weaver
LC

Baglafecht Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ploceus baglafecht

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Abyssinian Siskin
LC

Abyssinian Siskin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Serinus nigriceps

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Abyssinian Catbird

Abyssinian Catbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Parophasma galinieri

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Thekla Lark
LC

Thekla Lark

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Galerida theklae

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Ethiopian Cisticola
LC

Ethiopian Cisticola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cisticola lugubris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Brown Woodland-Warbler
LC

Brown Woodland-Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phylloscopus umbrovirens

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Heuglin's White-eye
LC

Heuglin's White-eye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops poliogastrus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Brown-rumped Seedeater
LC

Brown-rumped Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Crithagra tristriata

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~70%
2 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~60%
3 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~60%
4 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~50%
5 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~50%
6 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~50%
7 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~40%
8 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~40%
9 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~40%
10 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~40%
11 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
12 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~40%
13 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~40%
14 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~40%
15 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~30%
16 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
17 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
18 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
19 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
20 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~30%
21 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
22 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~30%
23 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
24 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~20%
25 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
26 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
27 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~20%
28 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
29 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
30 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
31 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
32 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~20%
33 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
34 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
35 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
36 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
37 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
38 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
39 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
40 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
41 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Red-billed Oxpecker in Bale Mountains National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red-billed Oxpecker sighting in Bale Mountains National Park, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Red-billed Oxpecker in Bale Mountains National Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Red-billed Oxpecker in Bale Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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