Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Few birds of prey are as territorial as the Common Buzzard.  Most other species use a large area for feeding and breeding, a “home range” that is not defended from other individuals except in the immediate vicinity of the nest. But the Buzzard is more formal. Individuals spend much of their time looking after their borders, sitting prominently on perches on the edge of the territory watching for intruders, or soaring over it in tight circles, giving loud mewing calls. Where land is disputed, many birds may circle in the air together, occasionally diving at each other and calling.

By Loz (L. B. Tettenborn) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3554875

Optimum habitat for the Buzzard is a mixture of open ground for hunting, and woodland for the nest. A whole array of habitats fits these requirements, so the unfussy Buzzard is both widespread and often common. The species breeds throughout the Continent, from the Arctic Circle, where the populations are migratory, to Southern Spain and Greece. It is tolerant of high winds and rainfall, but on the whole Buzzards are not really mountain birds, rarely breeding far above 1000m.

Individuals come in all sorts of colour variations. The dark brown forms are the commonest but, at the other extreme, virtually all-white birds are occasionally seen, too. It can be very difficult to identify the more oddly marked birds, of which there are many. The race found in eastern Scandinavia and Russia, the so-called Steppe Buzzard, is strongly rusty-red below, and much less variable.

By Zeynel Cebeci – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92953346

Buzzards are not specialised in what they eat, with small mammals, birds, lizards, insects and earthworms all being consumed at times. What a Buzzard eats and how is subject to three main variables: what is available, what the individual Buzzard prefers, and the weather. Individuals hunting voles, which are often a major food source, tend to sit on perches a few metres above ground and pounce when they see movement below; they may have to wait many minutes before something stirs. Individuals hunting birds tend to perch closer to the woodland, or even make short sallying flights along rides and edges. Those looking for invertebrates, especially earthworms, may spend hours on the ground simply walking about. If there is a brisk wind, many Buzzards will either hover or hang in the air up to 300m above ground, plunging down when their eyes detect something. But if it is raining, most will return to their patient watch from elevated perches once more.

As might be predicted by their territorial nature, many Buzzards live quite settled lives. Pairs often live together in the same territory throughout the year, and remain partners for the long term. If they do, they will build several nests over the course of time, switching sites between years or reusing structures, just as the fancy takes them. Most Buzzard nests are built in trees, but crags and cliffs will do if necessary. The structure is quite large, about 1m in diameter, and is a platform of sticks and twigs lined with fresh green material.

From ‘Birds: A Complete Guide to All British and European Species’, by Dominic Couzens. Published by Collins and reproduced with permission.