Aberant starlings have developed a highly specialised lifestyle of feeding near-exclusively on ticks, other ectoparasites and blood from large mammals. Their body is adapted for clinging to animals (ungulates). They have short legs and stromg feet with sharp, curved claws and flattened bills for scissoring through hair. They clamber about their hosts, using their tail as propeller.
They pluck ticks from bare skin and use their bill in a scisoring action when foraging through fur and for ingesting liquid-like blood and mucous. They may also hawk insects from the backs of mammals or perches. It has been estimated that animals tolerating oxpeckers may be able to reduce their own grooming activities by more than thirty percent. It is also speculated that oxpeckers create and maintain small wounds on mammals to attract insects, parasites to their hosts.
They are monogamous co-operate breeders. They nest in natural cavities in trees, where they build a small cup of mammal hair and dry grass. They lay 3 - 5 whitish eggs, plain or speckled. Incubation is done by both parents, not assisted by helpers, care of the nestlings by both parents and helpers.

Buphagos = ox eater

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