Feeding preferences of Oxpeckers in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorNdlovu, M.
dc.contributor.authorCombrink, L.
dc.date.accessioned2016-06-02T15:09:32Z
dc.date.available2016-06-02T15:09:32Z
dc.date.issued2015-11
dc.description.abstractOxpeckers reduce tick loads on ungulate hosts, but they are also known to feed on and exacerbate wounds. An understanding of the feeding behaviours and host preferences of these birds is important since they serve as agents of tick control on both domestic and wild ungulates. We conducted an observational study at two sites within the Kruger National Park in South Africa, exploring the feeding preferences of both Red-billed and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers. Oxpeckers’ host preferences, body-location preferences on different hosts, prevalence of feeding and non-feeding behaviours, and frequency of tolerance versus rejection in different hosts were determined. It was found that Yellow-billed Oxpeckers had a smaller range of hosts – typically larger-sized ungulates – and that Red-billed Oxpeckers diversify to smallersized ungulate hosts when in competition with Yellow-billed Oxpeckers. Body-location preferences were generally consistent across sites and across host species. Tick feeding and other host-feeding behaviours (around the eyes, nose, mouth and ears, and anogenital areas) were fairly common. Only six incidents of wound feeding, from a total of 855 observations, were recorded. Tolerance by an ungulate host species was not related to Oxpeckers’ host preferences, suggesting that other factors such as ungulate body size, tick species and tick stages on the host animal may play a significant role in the feeding preferences of Oxpeckers. Conservation implications: It is important to study Oxpeckers’ behavioural feeding preferences so as to better understand their ecology and present distribution, and to determine where they can be reintroduced in future. Reintroduction not only helps with the proliferation of Oxpeckers, but also benefits ungulate hosts through ectoparasite removal and the subsequent control of tick-borne diseases.en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNdlovu, M. and Combrink, L. 2015. Feeding preferences of Oxpeckers in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Koedoe 57(1), pp.1-6.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0075-6458 (Print)
dc.identifier.issn2071-0771 (Online)
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/20412
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherAOSIS OpenJournals Publishing AOSIS (Pty) Ltden_ZA
dc.subjectbirden_ZA
dc.subjectectoparasiteen_ZA
dc.subjectfeeding behavioren_ZA
dc.subjecthost preferenceen_ZA
dc.subjectreintroductionen_ZA
dc.subjectticken_ZA
dc.subjectungulateen_ZA
dc.subjectKruger National Parken_ZA
dc.subjectSouth Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectAnimaliaen_ZA
dc.subjectAvesen_ZA
dc.subjectBuphagus erythrorhynchusen_ZA
dc.subjectIxodidaen_ZA
dc.subjectUngulataen_ZA
dc.titleFeeding preferences of Oxpeckers in Kruger National Park, South Africa.en_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Feeding preferences of Oxpeckers in Kruger National Park, South Africa....pdf
Size:
1.82 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Article
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Research Outputs (Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences)
Wits Research Outputs