Oxpeckers alert black rhinos to the presence of humans

Red-billed oxpeckers protect black rhinos by calling out an alarm signal when humans are nearby. A team of researchers tracked black rhinos in the wild, and found that those who were carrying oxpeckers were much better at sensing and dodging humans.  Oxpeckers help to remove ticks and other parasites as they hitch a ride on a rhino's back. The new study suggests that the birds also help to compensate for the rhino's poor eyesight by calling out when a human is approaching. The Swahili name for the …