Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Murchison Falls National Park
28 Verified sightings at Murchison Falls National Park From 2019 to 2026
18,478 Verified sightings across all 41 parks From 2019 to 2026
April 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 Murchison Falls National Park

Yellow-billed Oxpecker
LC

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buphagus africanus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Piapiac
LC

Piapiac

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ptilostomus afer

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Rüppell's Glossy-starling
LC

Rüppell's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis purpuroptera

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
LC

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus bengalus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Black-headed Gonolek
LC

Black-headed Gonolek

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius erythrogaster

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Silverbird
LC

Silverbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Empidornis semipartitus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Grey-backed Fiscal
LC

Grey-backed Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius excubitoroides

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Rattling Cisticola
LC

Rattling Cisticola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cisticola chiniana

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Orange Bishop
LC

Orange Bishop

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Euplectes franciscanus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Spotted Morning-Thrush
LC

Spotted Morning-Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cichladusa guttata

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Speckle-fronted Weaver
LC

Speckle-fronted Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sporopipes frontalis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · 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 Murchison Falls National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red-billed Oxpecker sighting in Murchison Falls National Park, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Red-billed Oxpecker in Murchison Falls National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Red-billed Oxpecker in Murchison Falls National Park in our monthly data.

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