Definitions

1. noun

a bird, especially one of the starling family, that feeds on ticks and other parasites from the hides of large mammals, such as rhinoceroses and buffalo.

“During the safari, the tourists observed an oxpecker perched on the back of a rhinoceros, feeding on the ticks.”

2. verb

to feed on parasites or insects from the hide of a large mammal

“The oxpeckers were seen oxpeckering the rhinoceros, removing the ticks from its skin.”