Yellow-billed oxpecker: The return?

Yellow-billed oxpecker, Eastern shores, Isimangaliso.

Yellow-billed oxpecker occurred historically in Zululand but quite quickly  disappeared from the region in the late 1800's/ early 1900's (as well as the rest of South Africa). Their disappearance coincided with the onset of cattle-dipping with arsenical compounds, hunting of large herbivores (their symbionts) and the  rinderpest outbreak in 1896 which wiped out huge numbers of large herbivores. The combination of fewer large herbivores and poisoning was too much for the population to handle.

As a result of this their range contracted Northwards to areas less affected by such practices and by 1915 they were considered to be locally extinct in South Africa, only occurring in the Northern reaches of Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana.

With large herbivore numbers increasing, changes in dipping practices and better conservation measures the Yellow-billed oxpecker made a slow comeback into South Africa  and started being recorded in the far Northern reaches of Kruger National Park from the late 1970's. For many years to follow in South Africa they were a bird only associated with the North of Kruger National Park.

Over time their range has slowly started to expand Southwards again with birds reaching the Southern reaches of Kruger National Park.

More recently there has been an ever-increasing number of sightings in Zululand. In recent years birds have been seen in Tembe elephant Park, Phinda game reserve, Manyoni game reserve and the Eastern shores of Isimangaliso. This indicates a likely re-population of the area.

Interestingly, my most recent sighting on the Eastern shores was of 2 adults and a sub-adult which may indicate that they are even now nesting in the area.

It's not often these days that you hear of positive species 'comebacks' and also shows that the rehabilitation of  habitat and good conservation practices throughout Zululand are reaping rewards.

Yellow-billed oxpecker alongside Red-billed oxpecker