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oxpecker

noun
ox·​peck·​er | \ ˈäks-ËŒpe-kÉ™r How to pronounce oxpecker (audio) \

Definition of oxpecker

: either of two small dull-colored African birds (Buphagus erythrorhynchus and B. africanus) of the starling family that feed on ticks which they pick from the backs of infested cattle and wild mammals

Examples of oxpecker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Not so fast–those oxpeckers are washing the bugs down with a healthy helping of blood. — Kat Eschner, Smithsonian, "Those Little Birds On The Backs Of Rhinos Actually Drink Blood," 22 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oxpecker.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of oxpecker

1837, in the meaning defined above

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More from Merriam-Webster on oxpecker

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with oxpecker

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oxpecker

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