A pale morph Common Buzzard with questions? (2 Viewers)

[KenM]

N.East London today at mid-day, out of a clear blue sky I (wish it had been lower) observed two Buzzards interacting. The pale morph (being a first for me!)...begs the question as to how frequently this juvenile variant occurs in the UK, as this represents the first one that I've managed to see showing '' all the necessary salient points''. Also upon attaining full adult status (3 years?) do they revert to typical adult Buteo buteo, or do they retain any pale morph features?

Cheers

 

[James Lidster]

N.East London today at mid-day, out of a clear blue sky I (wish it had been lower) observed two Buzzards interacting. The pale morph (being a first for me!)...begs the question as to how frequently this juvenile variant occurs in the UK, as this represents the first one that I've managed to see showing '' all the necessary salient points''. Also upon attaining full adult status (3 years?) do they revert to typical adult Buteo buteo, or do they retain any pale morph features?

Cheers

In the Netherlands it's just as frequent to see pale adults as juveniles and as far as im aware its not an age related feature nor does it change with age.
James

 

[KenM]

In the Netherlands it's just as frequent to see pale adults as juveniles and as far as im aware its not an age related feature nor does it change with age.
James

Thanks for that James, I assumed that the pale morph variants were juvs.from Scandinavian/Germanic populations as suggested in Collins. It would be good to know how frequently this form arises in the UK...and in what season/region would they be more likely to occur in?

Cheers

 

[Nutcracker]

A pale morph Common Buzzard with questions?

Their usual questions are 'Where can I find a rabbit?' and 'Is it safe from gamekeepers around here?'


:king:

 

[gerdwichers8]

.. for the Netherlands: the pale morph occured during winter and originated from Fenno-Scandinavia untill the end of the 1980's. It changed dramatically afterwards and nowadays, it would be very interesting indeed to find out true percentages of the total 'resident' buteo-population, taken by these birds . They are really numerous.

 

[Keebs]

Their usual questions are 'Where can I find a rabbit?' and 'Is it safe from gamekeepers around here?'


:king:

"Am I flying high enough to come out blurry and ambiguous?" :-O

 

[KenM]

.. for the Netherlands: the pale morph occured during winter and originated from Fenno-Scandinavia untill the end of the 1980's. It changed dramatically afterwards and nowadays, it would be very interesting indeed to find out true percentages of the total 'resident' buteo-population, taken by these birds . They are really numerous.

Very interesting gerdwichers, It's only in the last ten years or so, that C.Buzzard has become common in London, and the South East, to the point that they can be seen drifting/migrating over the metropolis on good days in Spring and Autumn, as distinct from the breeding population in the outer suburbs. I can only assume...that pale morph Common Buzzard is still a very much infrequent visitor to our shores, here's hoping that we can ''Go Dutch'' on the increase of this attractive morph in the UK.

Cheers

 

[BobbitWorm45]

A very pale bird in Herts on Weds. too.

 

[KenM]

A very pale bird in Herts on Weds. too.

Excellent!....any more out there?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Do pale birds usually come with such red tails?

 

[KenM]

Do pale birds usually come with such red tails?

I suspect that it's the strong light above, transferring a tint of the upper-tail (brown) barring through to the under-tail, although mostly not visible in most of the shots?

Have noted a tint of this on some other white morph US Buteos.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I suspect that it's the strong light above, transferring a tint of the upper-tail (brown) barring through to the under-tail, although mostly not visible in most of the shots?

Have noted a tint of this on some other white morph US Buteos.

Didn't know that pale, nominate birds, could show such a red tail.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Excellent!....any more out there?

There's a well known individual at Goldcliff Ken. Often mistaken for an Osprey he's that pale. I used to see a regular bird opposite Ynysmeudwy football pitch as well.

Rich

 

[osprey123]

There used to be an almost pure white Buzzard in South Wales. It was around for at least 10 years and may still be there today. Here in central France, pale or very pale birds are a regular sight. I would say a quarter of all I see have some pale plumage.

 

[KenM]

There's a well known individual at Goldcliff Ken. Often mistaken for an Osprey he's that pale. I used to see a regular bird opposite Ynysmeudwy football pitch as well.

Rich

There used to be an almost pure white Buzzard in South Wales. It was around for at least 10 years and may still be there today. Here in central France, pale or very pale birds are a regular sight. I would say a quarter of all I see have some pale plumage.

Thanks Rich and Osprey, having trawled the web for pale morph birds there appears to be the odd, almost completely leucistic type, intergrade types (between pm and regular) and the classic pale morph.

Knowing that the pm’s were from the continent, and it would appear that they may be present there in good numbers ie France, Netherlands and Germany, got me wondering if they might be gaining ground here in the UK. Interestingly Bobbitworm reported one in Herts. the day before (Wed), coincidentally it was in Herts that I saw my first and only example many years ago (badly).

They are quite distinctive and attractive, and as such, would be of “note” for most birders, gerdwicher’s comment regarding the increase of pm’s in Holland also got me wondering if where they are expanding, and there are no other pm’s present to breed with, they readily pair up with non pm’s, or given a choice, preference their own form over “regular” types...?

Cheers