The tiny red-billed bird has been a subject of folklore in Tanzania and Africa as a whole; it has divided scientific opinions for years. Oxpeckers’ relationship with large mammals in Tanzania’s national parks has been dramatic, poetic, and controversial – a mirror of what the wilderness is.
Since ancient times, humans have been fascinated by the small red-billed bird. This tiny creature rides on top of wild beasts that no human dares to approach. It is a subject of folklore, often cited as a helper or trickster, and some even claim to have divine powers.
