ECOLOGY
ORGANISMS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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They have yellow bills.
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They make nests in trees away from predators.
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They eat bugs and parasites off zebra while the zebra graze.
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They are often found in the same fields as zebras.
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Detailed explanation-1: -Oxpecker is a kind of bird that eats flies, insects, etc. from the zebra and other grazing animals. The animals get rid of insects in this way, and the birds get their food. This is an example of mutualism Population Interaction.
Detailed explanation-2: -One example of a mutualistic relationship is that of the oxpecker (a kind of bird) and the rhinoceros or zebra. Oxpeckers land on rhinos or zebras and eat ticks and other parasites that live on their skin. The oxpeckers get food and the beasts get pest control.
Detailed explanation-3: -One such relationship is that of the zebra and oxpecker – the oxpecker gets food by eating ticks and parasites that live on the zebra’s skin, thus providing the zebra with pest control. Even where organisms are different, there can be mutual benefits!
Detailed explanation-4: -The relationship between the oxpecker and its host is a symbiotic relationship; that is, they live and interact closely to-gether. The term “symbiosis” is sometimes mistakenly used synonymously with “mutualism, ” but there are three main types of symbiosis: mutualism, parasitism and commensalism.
Detailed explanation-5: -Oxpeckers and large mammals The birds pick at parasites on the mammal’s body, including ticks and blood-sucking flies. This may help keep the mammal’s parasite load under control, and the birds get an easy meal. Like a number of other species, oxpeckers will raise the alarm and warn their hosts of impending danger.