Oxpecker

Description:

The oxpecker, a memebr of the starling family, has long been thought to be beneficial to the animals on which they perch, searching for ticks and parasites, however, they also enlarge bites and drink the blood straight from the host. Many times we saw animals shaking off the oxpeckers, although this giraffe seemed indifferent to them. So while they probably do help prevent the spread of tickborne illness, they are also directly parasitic themslves.