This Giraffe is being groomed by Red-billed Oxpeckers, Buphagus erythrorhynchus. The Oxpeckers hang on to the Giraffe with sharp claws and dig in to look for ticks and bloodsucking flies. The all-red bill and yellow eye-wattle are visible (see the bird on the right). We spent the morning of August 23, 2012, birding and looking for big game on the Moremi Game Reserve (Botswana). Temperatures were in the low 80's with clear sunny skies. As unsavory as it appears, the diet of Oxpeckers also includes mucus and blood. In an effort to keep supplies of blood flowing, they will continue to peck at a wound to make it bleed.