Skip to content
  • 1 800 414 3090
  • info@africansafarico.com
Facebook Linkedin-in Instagram
Inquire now
  • African Safaris
  • Marine Safaris
  • Travel Styles
  • Parks
  • Stories
  • About
  • Contact
Menu
  • African Safaris
  • Marine Safaris
  • Travel Styles
  • Parks
  • Stories
  • About
  • Contact
  • African Safaris
  • Marine Safaris
  • Travel Styles
  • Parks
  • Stories
  • About
  • Contact
Menu
  • African Safaris
  • Marine Safaris
  • Travel Styles
  • Parks
  • Stories
  • About
  • Contact
Inquire now
  • December 31, 2017

A Small Surprise on a Big Buffalo

We left the Kapama Buffalo Camp around 6:00am in the morning. As we approach summer time our program changes so we leave slightly earlier in the mornings so we can catch the best sunrises and animal activity. You could already feel the crisp early morning bite was slowly subsiding into a pleasant freshness that only the change in season can bring.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

We were only about a week away from summer and the Impala lambs were already dropping. As I was sipping away on some cold water, I knew this is exactly what the herbivores must be doing now. When you see many animals passing by the waterholes early in the morning, one must be prepared for a very warm day here in the South African bushveld.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

It was the final half hour of our morning game drive. I decided to go past three dams, each slightly north from the other, almost in a straight line. These dams are surrounded by deep drainage lines covered by Tamboti and Jackalberry trees, as well as the odd Guarri Bush. We had been blessed in the past here by numerous Big 5 sightings, including regular leopard sightings of a resident female and her cub that has since been seen enjoying her own company as she looks for new territory for herself.

 ____________________________________________________________________________________________

On this particular morning the first two dams were only accompanied by an impala bachelor herd, a warthog or two and a small herd of kudus. As we approached the third and I turned off the engine, the silence was broken by soft grunts of buffalo and the high pitches of the red-billed oxpeckers. We all sat for a moment to take in our scenery and appreciate the privilege of being surrounded by such beauty and wonder.

____________________________________________________________________________________________Our pleasant surroundings soon changed into an amazing sight.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

We watched in awe as around 150 Cape buffalo appeared out of the tree line and made their way down to the water’s edge. The group became louder as they pushed their way through to find an open place to drink. Many oxpeckers flew down to drink as well. After quenching their thirst the buffalo waded through the shallow section up towards us.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

While scanning the area with my binoculars I noticed one oxpecker looked quite different from the rest, even the call wasn’t what I was used to. I immediately smiled as I realized that what I was looking at was a yellow-billed oxpecker!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

This is a bird found in the area but far more rare than the regularly sighted red-billed oxpecker which is native to the Savanna of sub-Saharan Africa, and can be found just about anywhere that there are roaming grazing herds, from the Central African Republic to Sudan as well as all of South Africa.

____________________________________________________________________________________________So you can understand my utter exhilaration to have spotted a yellow-billed oxpecker.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

I was so excited I started snapping away with my camera while explaining to my guests that this was my first sighting on Kapama of this oxpecker. The eye of the Yellow-billed oxpecker is bright red and lacks the large yellow orbital ring of the Red-billed oxpecker. The final give away is as the name suggest, it has a yellow bill with red on the tip.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________It is slightly more robust looking and also feeds on the ticks on large herbivores, especially buffalo. The red-billed oxpecker uses scissoring motion to extract insects tangled in the long hairs, yet the yellow-billed oxpecker uses pecking motion to grab insects. Though they rid animals of pests, oxpeckers also take blood from the sores, which may be slow to heal.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Some times it’s the small things that many will overlook, that are the real special sightings; you just need to know where to look.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Story and photos by: Monika Malewski – Buffalo Camp

Are you ready for your next big adventure? Inquire now

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get in touch

Contact us today

Let our Africa and Latin America travel experts start putting together the perfect itinerary for your next big adventure! Call or email us to schedule a meeting to discuss your dream safari or tour.

Address: 1752 NW Market St # 520 Seattle, WA, 98107

Email Address: info@africansafarico.com

Telephone: 1 800 414 3090

Who we support

African Safaris

  • Botswana Safaris
  • Congo Safaris
  • Egypt Safaris
  • Kenya Safaris
  • Morocco Safaris
  • Mozambique Safaris
  • Namibia Safaris
  • Rwanda Safaris
  • South Africa Safaris
  • Tanzania Safaris
  • Zambia Safaris
  • Zimbabwe Safaris
  • Botswana Safaris
  • Congo Safaris
  • Egypt Safaris
  • Kenya Safaris
  • Morocco Safaris
  • Mozambique Safaris
  • Namibia Safaris
  • Rwanda Safaris
  • South Africa Safaris
  • Tanzania Safaris
  • Zambia Safaris
  • Zimbabwe Safaris

Latin America

  • Ecuador Adventure Tours
  • Galapagos Adventure Tours
  • Peru Adventure Tours
  • Ecuador Adventure Tours
  • Galapagos Adventure Tours
  • Peru Adventure Tours

Highlights

  • Beach
  • Cape Town
  • Culture
  • Gorillas & Chimps
  • Great Migration
  • Victoria Falls
  • Wine
  • Beach
  • Cape Town
  • Culture
  • Gorillas & Chimps
  • Great Migration
  • Victoria Falls
  • Wine

Travel Styles

  • Sustainability & Conservation
  • Exclusively Yours
  • Bush & Beach
  • Explorer
  • Family
  • Highlights
  • Romance & Honeymoon
  • Sustainability & Conservation
  • Exclusively Yours
  • Bush & Beach
  • Explorer
  • Family
  • Highlights
  • Romance & Honeymoon

Information

  • When To Travel
  • Travel Protection
  • Who We Are
  • Contact Details
  • Stories
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • When To Travel
  • Travel Protection
  • Who We Are
  • Contact Details
  • Stories
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

African Safaris

  • Botswana Safaris
  • Congo Safaris
  • Egypt Safaris
  • Kenya Safaris
  • Morocco Safaris
  • Mozambique Safaris
  • Namibia Safaris
  • Rwanda Safaris
  • South Africa Safaris
  • Tanzania Safaris
  • Zambia Safaris
  • Zimbabwe Safaris
  • Botswana Safaris
  • Congo Safaris
  • Egypt Safaris
  • Kenya Safaris
  • Morocco Safaris
  • Mozambique Safaris
  • Namibia Safaris
  • Rwanda Safaris
  • South Africa Safaris
  • Tanzania Safaris
  • Zambia Safaris
  • Zimbabwe Safaris

Latin America

  • Ecuador Adventure Tours
  • Galapagos Adventure Tours
  • Peru Adventure Tours
  • Ecuador Adventure Tours
  • Galapagos Adventure Tours
  • Peru Adventure Tours

Highlights

  • Beach
  • Cape Town
  • Culture
  • Gorillas & Chimps
  • Great Migration
  • Victoria Falls
  • Wine
  • Beach
  • Cape Town
  • Culture
  • Gorillas & Chimps
  • Great Migration
  • Victoria Falls
  • Wine

Travel Styles

  • Sustainability & Conservation
  • Exclusively Yours
  • Bush & Beach
  • Explorer
  • Family
  • Highlights
  • Romance & Honeymoon
  • Sustainability & Conservation
  • Exclusively Yours
  • Bush & Beach
  • Explorer
  • Family
  • Highlights
  • Romance & Honeymoon

Information

  • When To Travel
  • Travel Protection
  • Who We Are
  • Contact Details
  • Stories
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • When To Travel
  • Travel Protection
  • Who We Are
  • Contact Details
  • Stories
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
© 2023 African Safari Company
Join our mailing list
Facebook-f Linkedin-in

Sign up to our mailing list

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest safari news, exclusive offers and more!

Marine Safari
Destinations

Marine Adventure
Destinations

  • Madagascar Safaris
  • Maldives Safaris
  • Mauritius Safaris
  • São Tomé and Principe Safaris
  • Seychelles Safaris
  • Madagascar Safaris
  • Maldives Safaris
  • Mauritius Safaris
  • São Tomé and Principe Safaris
  • Seychelles Safaris

National Parks
and Reserves

Explore Parks

Botswana

Chobe National Park
Kalahari Desert
Linyanti Private Reserve
Makgadikgadi Pans
Mashatu Game Reserve
Moremi National Park
Nxabega Concession
Okavango Delta
Savute Region
Selinda Concession

Kenya

Amboseli National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
Masai Mara Game Reserve
Meru National Park
Nairobi National Park
Samburu National Park
Shaba National Park
Tsavo West National Park

Mozambique

Gorongoza National Park

Namibia

Damaraland
Etosha National Park
Skeleton Coast
Sossusvlei

Rwanda

Nyungwe Forest National Park
Volcanoes National Park

South Africa

Grootbos Nature Reserve
Isimangoliso Wetlands Park
Kapama Private Reserve
Kwandwe Private Reserve
KwaZulu Natal
Madikwe Game Reserve
Phinda Private Reserve
Sabi Sands Reserve
Thanda Private Reserve
Thornybush Game Reserve
Timbavati Reserve
Valley of 1000 Hills

Tanzania

Arusha National Park
Lake Eyasi
Lake Manyara National Park
Mahale Mountains
Ngorongoro Crater
Saadani National Park
Selous Game Reserve
Serengeti National Park
Tarangire National Park

Uganda

Bwindi National Park
Kasanka National Park
Kibale Forest National Park
Lake Mburo National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park

Zambia

Kafue National Park
Lochinvar National Park
Lower Zambezi National Park
North Luangwa National Park
South Luangwa National Park
Tsika Island
Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe

Gonarezhou National Park
Hwange National Park
Mana Pools National Park
Victoria Falls

Safaris by
Travel Style

Safaris by
Travel Style

  • Sustainability & Conservation
  • Exclusively Yours
  • Bush & Beach
  • Explorer
  • Family
  • Highlights
  • Romance & Honeymoon
  • Sustainability & Conservation
  • Exclusively Yours
  • Bush & Beach
  • Explorer
  • Family
  • Highlights
  • Romance & Honeymoon

Latin America
Destinations

Latin America
Destinations

  • Ecuador Adventure Tours
  • Galapagos Adventure Tours
  • Peru Adventure Tours
  • Ecuador Adventure Tours
  • Galapagos Adventure Tours
  • Peru Adventure Tours

African Safari
Destinations

African Safari
Destinations

  • Botswana Safaris
  • Congo Safaris
  • Egypt Safaris
  • Kenya Safaris
  • Morocco Safaris
  • Mozambique Safaris
  • Namibia Safaris
  • Rwanda Safaris
  • South Africa Safaris
  • Tanzania Safaris
  • Zambia Safaris
  • Zimbabwe Safaris
  • Botswana Safaris
  • Congo Safaris
  • Egypt Safaris
  • Kenya Safaris
  • Morocco Safaris
  • Mozambique Safaris
  • Namibia Safaris
  • Rwanda Safaris
  • South Africa Safaris
  • Tanzania Safaris
  • Zambia Safaris
  • Zimbabwe Safaris