Three Yellow-billed Oxpeckers “singing” on top of a buffalo. The oxpeckers are one of the most important “tools” in biological control of ticks in many wild animals such as zebras, buffalo, impalas, giraffes and more. However, even though they help these animals, many consider them a nuisance and won’t let them land on their backs since oxpeckers are also fond of picking noses, eyes, ears and wounds, which can irritate them.