Buzzards nest regularly near where I live, and from my street I watch them each year. This year, the parents seem to have raised one. But the parents seem to have disappeared some weeks ago, mid-September. Last time I saw any group there was a record number of seven soaring (presumably some kind of gathering of birds from a very wide area of the county). There is now one juvenile hanging about the area, calling constantly in the mornings and flying low over the trees and perching a lot. I haven´t seen any sign of any other Buzzards since that group of seven, and wondered what this individual is doing, and to whom or what is he/she calling persistently?
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Buzzard question (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Sancho
- Start date
Hi,
I am not an expert at all but from what I have read the soaring of groups of buzzards is quite common. They will be either close neighbours catching the same thermal, or passage birds on migration, or dispersal.
As for the juv, well it has been noted that they will continue to beg for food for quite some time after fledgeing and even for neighbouring adults to foster them after the parents have stopped feeding them. So maybe this is what it is doing. Alternatively perhaps it is proclaiming its territory. They will fly low over the boarders of their territory calling to advertise they are there. I read that low contour hugging flight is shown often by autumn juveniles.
This is all guess work I have gleaned from books. But the real truth is it is fascinating to observe any bird showing any behaviour that makes us think more deeply about what is going on, for me this is what birding is about.
Hope someone can answer you more professionaly.
Keep watching!
Lulie
I am not an expert at all but from what I have read the soaring of groups of buzzards is quite common. They will be either close neighbours catching the same thermal, or passage birds on migration, or dispersal.
As for the juv, well it has been noted that they will continue to beg for food for quite some time after fledgeing and even for neighbouring adults to foster them after the parents have stopped feeding them. So maybe this is what it is doing. Alternatively perhaps it is proclaiming its territory. They will fly low over the boarders of their territory calling to advertise they are there. I read that low contour hugging flight is shown often by autumn juveniles.
This is all guess work I have gleaned from books. But the real truth is it is fascinating to observe any bird showing any behaviour that makes us think more deeply about what is going on, for me this is what birding is about.
Hope someone can answer you more professionaly.
Keep watching!
Lulie
razorsharp
For the Laugh
Buzzards are great birds and I would agree with what lulie said about the calling juvenille.
It is great to see that buzzards are increasing in Ireland after being hunted to extinction. As I can see that you are also from Ireland and you must also think they are great birds. Thankfully they are increasing in Ireland, a couple of months ago I was told that there was a pair nesting just a mile or two from my house out in the countryside. I went out to have a look and I could hear them calling but never got a good view until a couple of days later when I saw two of them and then four of them. I think it is a pair with 2 (now fledged) young. But going from thinking their was none to four is pretty great.
It is great to see that buzzards are increasing in Ireland after being hunted to extinction. As I can see that you are also from Ireland and you must also think they are great birds. Thankfully they are increasing in Ireland, a couple of months ago I was told that there was a pair nesting just a mile or two from my house out in the countryside. I went out to have a look and I could hear them calling but never got a good view until a couple of days later when I saw two of them and then four of them. I think it is a pair with 2 (now fledged) young. But going from thinking their was none to four is pretty great.
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
Buzzards naturally nest at very high densities - up to 1 pair per sq km in half decent habitat, and most habitat can support them as the vast majority of their food is earthworms. A large proportion of territory holders are non-breeders, and there are also other floating non-breeders in the population. So the soaring flocks are birds from the neighbourhood, plus maybe wandering/dispersing/migrating birds passing through.
Buzzards are doign a lot of calling at the moment - this is probably territorial establishment/advertisement by young birds, and responding adults. The adults may have been killed/died, and this juvenile is a new bird claiming the territory and/or advertising for company. Or the adults may have simply moved on, either temporarily or permanantly.
Buzzards are doign a lot of calling at the moment - this is probably territorial establishment/advertisement by young birds, and responding adults. The adults may have been killed/died, and this juvenile is a new bird claiming the territory and/or advertising for company. Or the adults may have simply moved on, either temporarily or permanantly.
Sincerest thanks for the replies, Poecile, Razorsharp, and Lulie, you´ve answered my question and educated me!!! This is why BF is brilliant. And it´s nice to know that buzzards are back here, and also that there´s nothing wrong with this juvenile. Funny thing is, I looked back through my notes after posting yesterday, and early in September I saw the two adults (presumably its parents) doing what I can only describe as attempting to drive off the juvenile. If this is the same juv, and if the adults have now dispersed elsewhere, maybe the juv won the territory from its parents!!!
RKell1
Landrover, it does exactly what it says on the tin
Interesting topic Sancho. The pair nesting close to my workplace have raised 1 chick each year since 2004 and for the last two years the parents appear to do a vanishing act in late Oct till Jan when, they appear to get the urge to start dispalying again. Buzzards will perch a lot hence some people tend to think of them as a lazy bird but if you watch them perching you will often see them slowly scanning the areas below and in front for prey. The low flying you are seeing can also be attributed to hunting behaviour. Buzzards have keen eyesight and hearing and through low level flight and soaring they put both senses to good use.
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
Down here in Co.Cork, Buzzards are present at an extremely low (but increasing) density (due to recent colonisation), and, as a result of this low density, coupled with the inconspicuous nature of the species when not soaring around, we rarely actually see any, except unless we spend time (up to a few hours if necessary) in the vicinity of a known site! One can only wonder exactly how many pairs there are elsewhere, scattered throughout the vast underwatched tracts of countryside that we only pass through, at best...?
Regards,
Harry
Regards,
Harry
RKell1
Landrover, it does exactly what it says on the tin
Or if non Irish Birds they could be looking for Moles, apparently they watch for signs of soil movement also!. Isn't 3/4 earthworm diet really a general statement and open to influence by location of territiory, variety/abundance of prey birds hold?
RKell1
Landrover, it does exactly what it says on the tin
A pair around Inchydoney in early Aug this year Harry, female chased off a male Kestrel across Clon Bay. First time I've seen them around Clon area so they must be doing well, or else they've avoided me in the past!. If they are around it'll be interesting to see how they get on with the SE Owl in winter.
razorsharp
For the Laugh
Do you get short-eared owls near you Rkell? I pressume they are just winter visitors, I know how rare they are in Ireland so you must feel pretty lucky to see them. Do you see them regularly?
RKell1
Landrover, it does exactly what it says on the tin
It's been a while since I've seen them around Garristown/Oldtown area and it's not through lack of searching. I grew up beside the Bull Island and spent a lot of my teenage years (Were talking the late 70's here :-O.) birding there..(then the demon drink, bikes and women took over B
so I hung up the bins). 5 Owls in one Winters day was my highest number and I can still recall the sight of them perched on the wooden poles at north end of the Island. One reported by the Louth folks in Local Patch Forum this week at Baltray so there hope yet for 07 :t:
Ray
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
Quite right, it could vary in theory. That figure is from the most comprehensive British study, in Dorset, but it's hard to imagine that worms would be scarce elsehwere. Dorset has plenty of other prey available, too. Buzzards are now the most numerous raptor in Britain, and only something like worms could fuel that.
RKell1
Landrover, it does exactly what it says on the tin
Yes but other studies equally have shown, that small mammals, Mice, Vole, Rabbit and small birds etc make up the bulk of the Buzzards diet, however as they are a a bird that can easily adapt their choice of prey I would suggest based on factors such as location, abundance of prey and time of year that we should look at all studies as having validity. Their initial decline as with other raptors was largely influenced my myxomatosis in Rabbit pop. combined with high use of pesticides leading to contamination of small mammal prey.
Ray
I have absolutely no idea what our local Buzzards (at Kilruddery, Bray) have been eating this last eight years (I´ve watched them each season but wouldn´t dream of going near their nest). There´s another pair recently at Kindlestown, and apparently another at Kilpedder. What amazes me about this is it means their territories must be fairly small, for such a large bird of prey. So I´m assuming they´re eating just about whatever turns up, otherwise the territories would be larger, no? The local pair have lots of access to rabbits, rats, mice, pigeons, crows, pheasants, etc. etc., but I do see them sitting on branches, scouring the ground as Poecile describes, overlooking a field that´s used for growing wheat in most years. So earthworms and insects are a significant possibility. The bad news is that the titled gent who owns Kilruddery has rented out a site, about 150 metres from the Buzzards eyrie, to a company that has just installed a Paintballing range in the woods there. (Paintballing. Bloody hell.) So I´m assuming the buzzards will move on next year.
At risk of repeating myself...
Mark Cocker(usually a reliable source) in "Birds Brittanica" states,
"it (the common buzzard) can easily strike down it's own prey as large as adult rabbits, crows, pigeons, coot and duck."
I saw one last week sitting on a telephone wire and scanning the ground like you's were saying.
Mark Cocker(usually a reliable source) in "Birds Brittanica" states,
"it (the common buzzard) can easily strike down it's own prey as large as adult rabbits, crows, pigeons, coot and duck."
I saw one last week sitting on a telephone wire and scanning the ground like you's were saying.
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
One fact, if it is reliable (how do you know Cocker's reliable, by the way?!), doesn't negate another.
Thanks s.james! (How were you repeating yourself?
I can't find any post of yours along this thread!) Yeah, someone told me he'd seen a buzzard take a woodpigeon, and I remember on Springwatch or something some years ago talk of one taking a jackdaw. BTW, is it true that a buzzard fledgling will happily devour its sibling? There's rivalry for you.Never said it did! Not negating any facts, don't worry. Cocker seems very knowledgable and thorough in all his books. Birds Brittanica is excellent.
Repeating myself cos I've posted that exact same quote on about 3 other threads.
On Springwatch this year I think there was talk of one eating a barn owl. (Although that might just have been Bill making stuff up!)
Did the buzzard chick on Springwatch this year not eat it's siblings? Not sure but I would say it happens, common enough in other raptors I think.
I find that so distasteful until I consider some of my own siblings.
