Phenotypic characteristics
of Common Buzzards on
Fuerteventura
Guillermo Rodríguez, Juan Ramírez andJavier Elorriaga
Abstract The Common Buzzards Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’ from Fuerteventura, in
the Canary Islands, are distinctive. This taxon resembles Long-legged Buzzard B.
rufinus but also shows some plumage traits consistent with Common Buzzard B.
buteo. We describe the plumage of ‘lanzarotae’, and highlight features that separate
it from Common Buzzards in the western Canary Islands and from ‘North African
Long-legged Buzzard’ B. r. cirtensis. We suggest that the appearance of ‘lanzarotae’
may be the product of a past hybridisation event and also that currently accepted
records of Long-legged Buzzard in the Canary Islands are in fact ‘lanzarotae’.

In Macaronesia, buzzards are represented
by the Common Buzzard Buteo buteo,
which includes endemic taxa on eacharchipelago, and Long-legged Buzzard Buteo
rufinus, which is currently accepted as avagrant to the Canary Islands (Garcia-delRey & Garcia Vargas 2013). Common Buzzards from the Azores (B. b. rothschildi),
Madeira (B. b. harterti), and the western
Canary Islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La
Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro (B. b. insularum) are all similar to nominate buteo, andprobably not safely separable on field views
alone, although they tend to be smaller andshorter-winged (Ferguson-Lees & Christie
2001). Juveniles tend to be pale, sometimes
strikingly so, recalling pale-morph buteo
from northern Europe (e.g. plate 125). Adults
are generally more extensively brown, with avariable degree of pale patterning below,
sometimes rather extensive; typically, they
match nominate buteo from northern/central
Europe in the extent of dark markings. It wassuggested by James (1984) that, on this basis,the founding individuals of these populations might have been migrants from
northern or eastern Europe; birds breeding insouthern Europe tend to be more uniformly
222

brown with fewer pale markings below.
Genetic studies have found little divergence
between these insular taxa and nominate
buteo (Harring 1999; Krukenhauser 2004),
and their validity has been questioned (e.g.
Forsman 2016).
Birds in the Cape Verde archipelago, Cape
Verde Buzzard B. bannermani, are likewisesimilar to nominate buteo in structure andplumage, including an overall uniform darkbrown coloration, and typically show narrowbarring to the belly (plate 127). In general,
this population exhibits less plumage variability than other Macaronesian taxa.
However, a phylogenetic study suggested thatbannermani shows a significant degree ofgenetic differentiation from nominate buteo
and is genetically closer to Long-legged
Buzzard (Clouet & Wink 2000). Consequently, bannermani is currently in a state oftaxonomic flux, treated variously as a subspecies of Common Buzzard (e.g. Crochet &Joynt 2015, Orta et al. 2017), a subspecies ofLong-legged Buzzard (e.g. Dickinson &Remsen 2013), or a monotypic species (e.g.
Porter & Kirwan 2010, Clements et al. 2016,
Gill & Donsker 2017).
In the midst of these disputed taxa, the© British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222 – 232

Beneharo Rodríguez

Common Buzzards on Fuerteventura

124. Adult Common Buzzard Buteo buteo insularum, Tenerife, Canary Islands, January 2008. A typicalwestern Canary Islands adult, not separable from nominate buteo in the field.

buzzards from the eastern Canary Islands(Fuerteventura, and formerly also Lanzaroteand nearby islets) have gone surprisingly
unremarked, despite their distinctive appearance. They differ from nominate buteo andfrom other Macaronesian taxa in bothplumage and structure, and in many respects
are more similar to ‘North African Longlegged Buzzard’ B. r. cirtensis. This geographical variation from other subspecies wasnoted previously by Polatzek (1908) who, inthe first published study of the CanaryIslands avifauna, described the buzzards ofthe eastern islands as B. b. lanzarotae. Bannerman (1963) did not recognise this taxon
in his Birds of the Atlantic Islands and ‘lanzarotae’ has subsequently disappeared fromthe literature. All buzzards resident on the
Canary Islands are currently considered to be
insularum.
Here, we present an overview of the phenotypic characteristics of the eastern CanaryIslands birds, and discuss briefly the implications of our findings. Hereafter, we refer tothem as ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ or ‘lanzarotae’, with insularum reserved for the
Common Buzzards inhabiting the western
Canary Islands and buteo for the nominate
subspecies. Our observations are based on
British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222– 232

field experience from the Azores, Madeira,and the Canary Islands. Between 2013 and2015, JR trapped 12 Fuerteventura Buzzards,
which were examined in the hand. In addition, we have studied images of birds from
Fuerteventura (roughly 20 individuals), thewestern Canary Islands (30), Madeira (10),Azores (12) and Cape Verde (4).

Distribution and population size
The breeding range of ‘lanzarotae’ is currently restricted to Fuerteventura, although it
formerly bred on Lanzarote (where the typespecimen was taken) and nearby islets suchas Alegranza and La Graciosa. Buzzards werealways rare on Lanzarote, with only two pairs
found by Bannerman in 1913 (Bannerman
1914) and just a few individuals noted by
Volsøe in 1947 (Volsøe 1950). The population became extinct on the island during the
1960s (Trotter 1970). On Fuerteventura, ‘lanzarotae’ appears to have been rare during thefirst decade of the twentieth century(Polatzek 1908; Bannerman 1914). In 1983,
7–8 pairs were recorded (Emmerson 1983),
but since then the population has increased,with 15–20 pairs in 1988 (Quilis et al. 1993)
and an estimated minimum of 85–90 pairs
in 2000 (Palacios 2005). This increase is223

Beneharo Rodríguez

Rodríguez et al.

125. Juvenile Common Buzzard Buteo buteo insularum, Tenerife, Canary Islands, March 2012.
A western Canary Islands juvenile, showing the classic pale plumage that recalls northern rather
than southern populations of Common Buzzard, which tend to be more uniformly dark.

probably related to the availability of animportant food source, Barbary Ground
Squirrel Atlantoxerus getulus, which wasintroduced to Fuerteventura in the second
half of the twentieth century. More recently,
supplementary feeding stations, part of aconservation programme for the local population of Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus majorensis, have probably also
benefited the Buzzards.
The timing of breeding is similar to thatof birds in the western Canary Islands, withmost chicks hatching by late February or
early March (pers. obs.), roughly two months
earlier than Common Buzzards on the
Iberian Peninsula. The taxon appears to belargely resident in Fuerteventura, and israrely seen in Lanzarote despite the close
proximity of the two islands.

Size and structure
In the field, Fuerteventura Buzzards appear
large and powerful, recalling North African
Long-legged Buzzard. There is substantial
overlap between ‘lanzarotae’ and insularum/
buteo in most measurements except weight(table 1). From 12 individuals measured,‘lanzarotae’ is rather similar in size to nomi224

nate buteo, though averaging slightly shorterwinged and shorter-tailed. These differences
match birds from Socotra (Socotra Buzzard
B. socotraensis) and Cape Verde (Porter &Kirwan 2010), and probably other island
buzzard populations too. (The tendency
towards a more compact structure is usuallyassociated with the loss of the migratory
behaviour in insular bird populations; Ferrer
et al. 2011.)
For their size, Fuerteventura Buzzards are
remarkably heavy: males and females arearound 28% and 36% heavier respectively
than male and female buteo from Spain, withno overlap recorded. The weight of ‘lanzarotae’ is thus closer to that of Long-legged
Buzzard. This considerable weight is usually
noticeable in the field and ‘lanzarotae’
appears heavy, with a bulky body. The taxon
also shows a proportionally more powerfulbill and, especially, claws, which further
enhances the similarity with Long-legged
Buzzard.

Plumage
Fuerteventura Buzzards are generally distinct
compared with nominate buteo or insularum.
Some birds are very similar to the brown
British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222 –232

Common Buzzards on Fuerteventura
Table 1. Morphometric measurements of ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’(unpublished data, this study) and comparison with other Buteo taxa (from Zuberogoitia et al.
2005 and Porter & Kirwan 2010). Values in parentheses show mean ± standard deviation;otherwise, the range is given, with sample size in italics if available. In spite of the extensive
overlap in most characters, the insular taxa show shorter tail and especially wings than nominate
buteo. Fuerteventura Buzzards are noticeably heavier than nominate buteo, on average up to 28%(males) and 36% (females) heavier and with no overlap in the measurements. It would beinteresting to compare ‘lanzarotae’ with data for ‘North African Long-legged Buzzard’ B. rufinus
cirtensis, but published data for the latter are not available. Some of the data below must be
considered with caution, given the small sample.
sex

wing length(mm)tail length(mm)tarsus(mm)

weight(g)sourceFuerteventura
BuzzardB. b. ‘lanzarotae’

M (n=4)327–360(354 ±19)355–386(374 ±10)180–201(192 ±11)
186–220(200 ±9)75.4–76.9(76.7 ±1.3)
76.9–81.6(78.7 ±2.2)

760–920(855 ±79)
1,040–1,220(1,094 ±66)

this study

Common Buzzard
nominate buteo

MF

350–412374–432

194–223
193–236

69–83

Common Buzzard
nominate buteo

M
FLong-legged Buzzard
B. r. cirtensis

MF

F (n=7)

Cape Verde Buzzard F (n=2)
B. bannermani(382 ±27) 56 (222 ±12) 32 (75 ±4) 32(400 ±15) 53 (229 ±10) 26 (73 ±2) 26

Porter &Kirwan(2010)(666 ±72) 23(800 ±67) 30

Zuberogoitia
et al. (2005)

345–384
380–425

188–197
196–20172–79(both sexes)

Porter &Kirwan(2010)

367–385

177–194

74–75

Porter &Kirwan(2010)

morph of Long-legged Buzzard. In mostindividuals, the upperparts are uniformly
brown, with broad, well-defined rufous
fringes to the mantle and scapulars in fresh
plumage. These plumage features are also
found in Long-legged Buzzard and noted by
Rodríguez et al. (2013) as diagnostic for separation from Common Buzzard.
A few individuals show a white patch at
the base of the inner primaries on the upperwing, forming a weak white flash in the wing,
similar to that shown by ‘Steppe Buzzard’ B. b.
vulpinus and Long-legged Buzzard but rarely
present in nominate buteo or insularum. The
head is usually paler than the body, showing
brownish lines behind the eye and gape (plate128), reminiscent of Long-legged Buzzard.
Some birds also show a dark patch on thenape. The plumage of ‘lanzarotae’ is subjectedto bleaching in the strong sun and thus prone
to marked plumage abrasion. As a result,
British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222– 232

recently moulted feathers stand out as contrastingly dark among the overall sandy
ground colour of the older feathers, often
leading to a patchy appearance (plate 126).
The underwing is variably pale but usuallywith solid dark carpal patches. The underwing-covert pattern, considered the most reliable feature for separating Long-legged andCommon Buzzards in the field (Rodríguez etal. 2013), is intermediate between the two
species: Long-legged Buzzard shows auniform underwing, while Common Buzzard
shows a marked contrast between dark lesser
coverts and paler median coverts, which
creates a dark ‘triangle’ at the leading edge of
the wing at a distance. Fuerteventura Buzzard
usually shows a rather uniform underwing,closer to that of Long-legged Buzzard; a few
birds show some contrast between the lesser
and median coverts, although as far as weknow never matching the striking pattern225

Juan Sagardía

Dominic MitchellRodríguez et al.

126. Adult ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ Buteo buteo‘lanzarotae’, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, June
2004. A typical adult, showing strong claws andaggressive appearance, quite different from thebird in plate 124.

typical of Common Buzzard.
The underparts are generally uniform,
although sometimes a pale bib is apparent, as
in nominate buteo. Some individuals show apale creamy head and breast, and an extensive dark brown patch extending down to thebelly, closely resembling some Long-legged
Buzzards. A few bird are rufous-tinged,
recalling the rufous morph of Long-legged
Buzzard (Rodríguez et al. 2013).
The barred, dull brown tail is similar tothat of nominate buteo, though generallywith finer barring in both adult and juvenile
plumages (plate 130). Some individuals show
a pale orange tinge to the tail, yet the patterndiffers from the whitish and often translucent
tail of adult Long-legged Buzzard.
The mixed features of Common andLong-legged Buzzard found in ‘lanzarotae’
lead to a remarkable similarity with the buzzards from the population along thesouthern shores of the Strait of Gibraltar (theso-called ‘Gibraltar Buzzards’, which are considered hybrid Common × Long-legged Buzzards; Rodrí guez et al. 2013) – especiallythose in juvenile plumage (plates 134 –137).
226

127. Adult Cape Verde Buzzard Buteo
bannermani, Cape Verde, March 2009. This taxon
is quite similar overall to nominate buteo; notethe homogeneous dark bib contrasting with afinely barred belly typical of this species.

Moult
Our observations show that moult can takeplace throughout the year. From an analysisof the moult state of seven immature birds,
we found that Fuerteventura Buzzards moult
between nine and 13 primaries per wing
during the first year of moult (from thespring of their second calendar-year to thespring of their third calendar-year). For
example, we have recorded 2CY birds withthree primaries moulted in May – whennominate buteo Common Buzzards usually
start moulting; eight primaries replaced andP9 growing in August; and 3CY individuals
moulting P2 (for the second time) in
January, and P5 in May. (Note that a moult of
13 primaries implies that all ten are moulted
once, with the inner three moulted a second
time.) This represents a remarkably fast andextensive moult compared with 6–10 and 6–7
primaries typically moulted during the same
period by Long-legged and Common
Buzzard respectively (Zuberogoitia et al.
2005; Rodríguez et al. 2013). The speed of themoult and the prolonged moulting period
probably represents an adaptation against
British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222 –232

Juan Sagardía

Common Buzzards on Fuerteventura

128. Adult ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, June
2004. The Fuerteventura birds show several plumage characters reminiscent of ‘North African
Long-legged Buzzard’ B. rufinus cirtensis: chocolate brown above contrasting with pale head, thepresence of dark/ brownish eye- and gape-lines, and a neat pale breast contrasting with broad
brown band on the belly.

wing and tail feathers.

Vagrant Buzzards in the CanaryIslands
There are currently three accepted records ofFrancisco Jiménez Casares

increased abrasion of feathers in an arid,
dusty environment, and perhaps also therelatively low seasonality of the climate. The
commonly ground-dwelling habits of thesebirds may also lead to heavier wear of the129. Adult ‘North African Long-legged Buzzard’ Buteo rufinus cirtensis, Bouarfa, Morocco, May 2013.
A classic desert cirtensis: note the similarities in plumage with the bird in plate 128, but also note themore slender and elegant silhouette of North African Long-legged Buzzard, with the wing-tip extending
beyond the tail-tip, compared with the more compact ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ B. buteo ‘lanzarotae’.
British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222– 232

227

Juan Ramírez

Juan Ramírez

Rodríguez et al.

130 & 131. ‘Fuerteventura Buzzards’ Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’, juvenile (left) and adult (right),
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, June 2012. The tail pattern of Fuerteventura Buzzard is similar to thatof nominate buteo, although with slightly narrower barring; the tail is always darker than the pale tailof ‘North African Long-legged Buzzard’ Buteo rufinus cirtensis (just visible in plate 129).

Fuerteventura, mostly as a result of confusion
with ‘lanzarotae’. However, we have reviewed
photographs and/or descriptions of theaccepted records, and they appear to be
misidentified ‘lanzarotae’. Therefore, to ourMiguel Angel Peña

Long-legged Buzzard from Fuerteventura,
and a few other published records that were
not formally assessed (de Juana 2006; Garciadel-Rey & Garcia Vargas 2013). In fact, Longlegged Buzzard is claimed annually from132. Adult ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, February
2016. Bird showing contrasting white band on breast, reminiscent of nominate buteo.
228

British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222 –232

Yeray Seminario

Common Buzzards on Fuerteventura

133. Adult ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands,
December 2011. Another individual very similar to ‘North African Long-legged Buzzard’ B. rufinus
cirtensis, with rather uniform underwing-coverts, well-marked dark carpals and dark belly patch.

knowledge, there are no reliable recent
records of Long-legged Buzzard in the
Canary Islands.
Occasionally, buzzards showing characters
recalling cirtensis/‘lanzarotae’ have been
observed in the western Canary Islands, andin Madeira and the Azores. Whether thesebirds are aberrant individuals, vagrants(either from Fuerteventura or North Africa)
or simply the consequence of some gene flow
among the different archipelagos is still
unknown. In addition, we note that the
buzzards of Gran Canaria show a structure
reminiscent of ‘lanzarotae’, including a proportionally large bill and claws, pale underparts, a dark carpal patch, and dark eye- andgape-lines. The proximity of Gran Canaria to
Fuerteventura (around 85 km) may permit avery low level of dispersal from Fuerteventura. This hypothesis is speculative, however,
and more detailed studies are needed to fully
understand the degree of variation within
Macaronesia.
Nominate/insularum-type Common Buzzards are rare in the eastern Canary Islands,
and it is likely that the few vagrants that do
occur originate from the western CanaryIslands. This may not always have been thecase, since Common Buzzards from northeast Europe (mainly from the vulpinus/buteo
intergrade zone) were formerly regularmigrants through Gibraltar and in winter in
Morocco, at least until the 1970s (Martin etal. 2014; Bensusan & Perez 2016), potentially
British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222– 232

resulting in some vagrants to the CanaryIslands. Common Buzzards are now muchrarer on passage through Gibraltar and in
winter in Morocco. Nominate/insularumtype birds have not been recorded breedingon the eastern Canary Islands and appear tooccur only as vagrants that either perish or
move on again.
In addition to natural vagrants, six nominate Common Buzzards from central Spain
were introduced to Fuerteventura in about
1978 by the Spanish Institute for Nature
Conservation (ICONA) in an attempt tocontrol the growing population of Barbary
Ground Squirrels. Four of these birds were
found exhausted and taken back to continental Spain (Palacios 2005). The fate of theother two is unknown.

Discussion
The phenotypic similarity of ‘lanzarotae’ toLong-legged Buzzard and the differencesfrom insularum might imply a closer relationship with the former than the latter. Yet
some features of ‘lanzarotae’ are more typicalof Common Buzzard, notably the pattern of
the tail and the underwing-coverts, and someindividuals closely resemble insularum. These
mixed characteristics perhaps suggest that‘lanzarotae’ is the result of a historicalhybridisation event between Common
Buzzard and North African Long-legged
Buzzard. Similar events elsewhere in Europe
have been well documented (Corso 2009;229

Javier Elorriaga

Yeray Seminario

Rodríguez et al.

134 & 135. Juvenile ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands,
March 2012 (left), and juvenile ‘Gibraltar Buzzard’ B. b. buteo x B. rufinus cirtensis, Tetouan, Morocco,
September 2012. Note obvious similarities between these birds, both showing mixed features ofCommon and Long-legged Buzzard. Tail barring is usually broader in Fuerteventura Buzzard than in
Gibraltar Buzzard.

Elorriaga & Roman Munoz 2013; Rodríguez
et al. 2013) and given rise to phenotypicallysimilar birds (plates 134 –137). Elsewhere,
other buzzard taxa have been reported ashaving arisen through hybridisation: in
Porter & Kirwan’s (2010) study of Socotra
Buzzard, it is suggested that socotraensis may
have arisen through a hybridisation event
between Long-legged Buzzard and Steppe
Buzzard. Clouet & Wink (2000) and Kruckenhauser et al. (2004) suggested that both
Socotra Buzzard and Cape Verde Buzzard
cluster genetically with Long-legged Buzzard,
rather than with the (arguably) phenotypically more similar Common Buzzard, hintingthat Cape Verde Buzzard may also have arisen
from a historical hybridisation event.
We hope that an increased knowledge ofthe distinctive population of Buzzards in the230eastern Canary Islands will raise birders’awareness of the similarity with Long-legged
Buzzard, and perhaps lead to further study
and understanding, particularly in relation to
the recognition and taxonomic position of‘lanzarotae’. In the absence of genetic material from birds known to originate from theeastern Canary Islands, it is difficult to draw
any conclusions as to the closest relatives of‘lanzarotae’. The mixed phenotype gives someclues but for now we must heed the words ofPorter & Kirwan (2010): ‘in the Palearctic
region the problems posed by Old World
Buteo in general are among the thorniest inavian taxonomy.’
Acknowledgments
We thank all the photographers for allowing us toreproduce their images, and particularly Beneharo
Rodríguez, Juan Sagardia and Yeray Seminario, who
British Birds 110 • April 2017 • 222 –232

Javier Elorriaga

Yeray Seminario

Common Buzzards on Fuerteventura

136 & 137. Adult ‘Fuerteventura Buzzard’ Buteo buteo ‘lanzarotae’, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands,
February 2013 (left), and subadult ‘Gibraltar Buzzard’ B. b. buteo x B. rufinus cirtensis, Tetouan, Morocco,
February 2013. Note typical intermediate pattern of the underwing-coverts, not as uniform as in Longlegged but with the triangle formed by lesser and median coverts not as well marked as in Common
Buzzard.
made available their extensive galleries on buzzards
from the Canaries. No biometric data would beavailable without the skills of Manuel de la Riva and José
Antonio Donázar, from Estacion Biologica de Doñana,and the fieldwork support of Julio Roldan and Marina
Guerrero. Beneharo Rodríguez and Stephen Menzie
provided advice, discussion and useful comments on
the manuscript.
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ageing and moult of Buzzards Buteo buteo in asouthern European area. Ringing & Migration 22:
153–158.

Guillermo Rodríguez, Santander, Spain; e-mail grolazaro@gmail.com
Juan Ramírez, Malaga, Spain; e-mail queperita@hotmail.com
Javier Elorriaga, Tarifa, Cadiz, Spain; e-mail javielor@hotmail.com
Guillermo Rodríguez is a passionate raptor enthusiast, with main interests in the geographical variation andageing of Eurasian taxa. He also enjoys world birding, particularly in South and East Asia. Juan Ramírez has
wasted most of his life at the most important raptor migration hotspots around the Mediterranean Sea. Raptor
conservation and ringing have been his other confessable activities. Javi Elorriaga is a field ornithologist andnature guide based in the Strait of Gibraltar. He has worked on the conservation of the Eurasian Black Vulture
in Greece and the Lammergeier in Spain, the study of raptor migration in the Strait of Gibraltar and thereintroduction of the Osprey in the Basque Country.

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