Buzzards, how does one identify male/female? (1 Viewer)

[PeterK]

Hi All We were at Speke Hall on Merseyside last thursday and had the luck to watch a pair of Buzzards, alternating between sitting on a fence and apparently hunting on the ground in the field which was criss-crossed by two ditches. We were some 20 ft from the pair and they continued to hunt together and sit on the fence side by side for at least !0 minutes, albeit with six Magpies sitting alongside them apparently obvlious of the Buzzaards. The Buzzards eventually flew off to the woods surrounding The Old Tuder hall. Neither Dot nor myself know how to recognise Male and Female Buzzards, but they did appear to be carrying out a mating style ritual, so our question is how the hell do you tell which is which, and did we witness them begining their mating rituals.
We did see plenty of other birds, but this was so special it put the others into the background, at least for that day.
Good Birding PeterK

 

[charlierocky]

Hi PeterK, Great sighting of the Buzzard. You were very lucky to be able to get so close to the birds! and for quite some time to. We have many Buzzards in the area where I live but have never got very close to one, I take it you never had your camera with you?
I have looked in my 'Collins bird guide' to see if it will help with your question, and it describes the colour differences of the various morphs that exist of the common buzzard, but no indication of differences between the sexes. Since the same book describes these differences of other spieces, I can only assume that male and famale Buzzard are the same.

 

[chris3871]

Lucky you! Sounds like fantastic views of the buzzards.

As far as I know there's no real difference in plumage. (Ready to be proven wrong)!
Size can sometimes be an indicator, with the female being larger. This helps give her better coverage of the eggs when incubating, and also means the parents can tackle a wide range of prey. I think the size difference is more prominent in hawks and falcons really though.

Someone else may be able to offer a more certain answer!

 

[BazR]

Hi Peter.
I go along with Chris: the female is a fair bit larger, but if you don't see male and female together that doesn't help much. There doesn't appear to be a distinction in plumage colour.
Maybe the female's the one that 'talks' more. Only kidding ladies. LOL!!

All the best.
Baz.

 

[charlierocky]

You're a braver man than me BazR!

 

[Pam_m]

Hi Peter.
I go along with Chris: the female is a fair bit larger, but if you don't see male and female together that doesn't help much. There doesn't appear to be a distinction in plumage colour.
Maybe the female's the one that 'talks' more. Only kidding ladies. LOL!!

All the best.
Baz.

Oh I am sure you are kidding Baz :stuck: :-O

Interesting thread Peter :t:

We have Buzzards regularly circling above us, but I have yet to see one as close as your views. It must have been great to view them as close as you did and for a length of time too! When they are low in the sky I do have a look with my bins, a super looking bird aren't they!

All the best

 

[Mutter]

Just have a look at which one is doing all the nagging!

That's a sure fire way to find out !

andy

 

[Wendy Morris]

Just have a look at which one is doing all the nagging!

That's a sure fire way to find out !

andy

That'll be the male one then Mutter?!

 

[PeterK]

Hi All one was fairly dominant so guess that might have been the female, seriously though the only difference was a rather whiter breast on one bird, but my book suggests this is possible in any Buzzard, so no help there.

Peter

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Hi Peter
here's the page from the Birds of the Western Palearctic giving the measurements for buzzards. No plumage differences at all are given, so in the field it has to be size that is used for sexing the birds.

 

[BazR]

H Keith.
Where have you been matey? We don't seem to have had you around for a while. Hope all is well on the home front.

All the best you all.
Baz.

 

[Mutter]

That'll be the male one then Mutter?!

Touché, Wendy !!

andy

 

[pie]

That'll be the male one then Mutter?! [/QUOTE

Teehee! This pic shows the female applauding you Wendy!


Hi Peter,
Great views you had of such amazing birds.

 

[JimMorris]

A great photo Pie

 

[Paminfra]

Brillant picture, after my pathetic attemps (blobs mostly) I'm really envious!