Buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758)

Buteo buteo, also called the Common Buzzard, is a medium to large sized bird of prey whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia.

(a) Buteo buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758) - Europe E to Finland, Romania and Turkey; also Madeira; winters in S of range, and irregularly S to Liberia. (b) Buteo buteo arrigonii Picchi, 1903 - Corsica and Sardinia. (c) Buteo buteo rothschildi Swann, 1919 - Azores. (d) Buteo buteo insularum Floericke, 1903 - Canary Is. (e) Buteo buteo harterti - Madeira, doubtfully distinct from nominate Buteo (f) Buteo buteo vulpinus Gloger, 1833 - N Scandinavia and European Russia E to R Yenisey, and S to N Caucasus and C Asia (Altai, Tien Shan); winters mainly in Africa S of Sahara, and also in S Asia. (g) Buteo buteo menetriesi Bogdanov, 1879 - S Crimea and Caucasus S to E Turkey and N Iran. (h) Buteo buteo japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844 - L Baikal area and Mongolia E through Amurland and Manchuria to Sakhalin, Japan and Kuril Is, and S to Tibet, and possibly NW India; winters in S Asia, from India to Japan. (i) Buteo buteo refectus Portenko, 1929 - W China and perhaps Himalayas. (j) Buteo buteo toyoshimai Momiyama, 1927 - Izu Is and Bonin Is. (k) Buteo buteo oshiroi Nagahisa Kuroda, 1971 - Daito Is (to E of C Ryukyu Is). (l) Buteo buteo burmanicus (Himalayan Buzzard): Himalayas and western China

Age for sexual maturity: 3 years. Mating season: Usually March to May. In India, ill defined. Mating system: Monogamous with birds forming life-long pairs. Mating ritual: Males usually attract females in early spring with a ritual aerial display, where he rises high up in the sky, to turn and plummet twisting and turning downwards in a spiral. He then rises immediately upwards to repeat this exercise. Nest location: Built on ledges or cliffs or on ground on steep hillsides. Also in fork or branches of large trees near the edge of woods. Nest: Large stick platform lined with grass and herbs. Clutch size: 2-4. Incubation period: 33-38 days.

Full migrant. In India, resident breeding populations in the Himalayas from Gilgit eastwards. In winter, widespread visitor to the foothills and peninsula. Bird populations increased by extralimital migrants.

Maximum longevity: 28.8 years (wild).

Length: 51-56cm. Wingspan: 1.13-1.28m. Weight: 0.55-1.2kg.

A stocky Buzzard with variable dark and light plumage phases like other Buzzards. Broad, rounded, black tipped wings show whitish patches in overhead flight. One third to half of the legs feathered in front and naked portions scutellated. Tail of moderate length. Three subspecies seen in the Indian subcontinent: B. b. refectus - resident in the Himalayas is dark to rufous brown with variable amounts of white on underparts and plain sandy brown tail or dull brown tail with dark bars. B. b. japonicus - a winter visitor, has a pale head and underparts, variable dark streaking on breast, brown patch on belly and thighs, and dark barred grey-brown tail. B. b. vulpinus - a winter visitor, has an extremely variable appearance but with a bright rufous tail.

Immature Black Kite, Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus), European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus),

During migration, may form flocks which fly long distances with minimum effort by riding thermals. Over gorges where thermals are absent, they ride up drafts, sometimes in the company of vultures. Over tree-tops show slow sailing flight. They have a plainitive 'peea-ay' call that sounds similar to a cat's meow.

Carnivorous. Mainly feeds on birds like pheasants and crows, small mammals like rabbits, voles and mice, reptiles like snakes and lizards. Eats carrion and is also seen hunting for worms and insects like earthworms and beetles in recently ploughed fields.

Inhabits open high country to 2100m above msl.

A. Global: Habitat systems: Terrestrial; Freshwater. Forest Dependency: Low. Altitude: 0 - 2500 m. Altitudinal limits: 0 - 4500 m. General Habitats: Forest - Temperate, Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland, Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane; Shrubland- Temperate; Grassland -Subtropical/Tropical Dry; Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands, Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha); Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land, Pastureland. Breeding Habitats: Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) - Arable land, Pastureland; Forest - Temperate forest; Shrubland - Temperate shrubland; Inland Wetlands - Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens, peatlands. Passage Habitats: Grassland - Subtropical/tropical (lowland) dry grassland; Inland Wetlands - Freshwater lakes (>8 ha) - permanent. B. Indian subcontinent: Hunts in open country, but breeds on the fringes of woodlands.

Not endemic.

4,000,000 mature individuals (2009)

Unset

IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern

Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern (ver 3.1) Year Published: 2010 Assessor/s: BirdLife International Reviewer/s: Calvert, R., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Main threats include killing by game-keepers and reduced prey populations.

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) India Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Global Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. AEWA (Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds) Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. IWPA (Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) Listed Species:No.