page_title: Augur buzzard
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Augur buzzard / Description
caption_attribution_description: Uganda Augur Buzzard Buteo augur, dark phase Kisoro, SW Uganda
context_page_description: The augur buzzard is a fairly large African bird of prey. The taxonomy on this species is confusing, with some taxonomists considering this species, the jackal buzzard, and the Archer's buzzard to be the same superspecies. Many taxonomists consider them all to be distinct, having different calls, different home ranges and variations in plumage. This is a species of mountains, and adjacent savannah and grassland. It is resident and non-migratory throughout its range. It is normally found from Ethiopia to southern Angola and central Namibia. This species is also the Seattle Seahawks live mascot.
context_section_description: Augur buzzards are one of two larger Buteo species endemic to Africa, alongside their cousins, the similarly sized jackal buzzard. Adults measure about 48 to 60 cm (19 to 24 in) with a large wingspan of 120 to 149 cm (47 to 59 in). Males weigh from 880 to 1,160 g (31 to 41 oz) while females weigh from 1,100 to 1,330 g (39 to 47 oz). A small sample of 5 augur buzzard weighed an average of 973.2 g (34.33 oz) while 22 birds averaged 131.5 cm (51.8 in) in wingspan. The adult augur buzzard is strikingly plumaged and essentially unmistakable if seen well. It is an almost black brown above with a rufous tail that stands out strongly in contrast. The primary flight feathers are blackish and the secondaries off-white, both barred with black. Below the chin and around the throat is mainly white, and the rest of the underparts and the underwing coverts are rich rufous. The flight feathers from below are white, tipped with black to form a dark trailing edge to the wing.
  The juvenile augur buzzard is mainly brown above and rufous brown below and on the tail. It can be confused with wintering steppe buzzard, but the augur is considerably larger and bulkier with broader wings and a heavier flight style and an unbarred undertail. Although not as dark as the adult on the back and upperwing coverts, it is usually noticeably darker than a juvenile steppe buzzard. The adult augur buzzard has white underparts and underwings. The female has black on the lower throat. Juveniles are brown above and buff below, the underparts later becoming white. Juveniles are similar to juvenile jackal buzzards but are generally much paler below with bolder carpal patches and more clearly barred secondaries and tail. There is a melanistic form of augur buzzard, all black, except for grey and white flight feathers that are barred black and contrast strongly with the black center and a chestnut tail. About 10% of birds are melanistic, but the proportion rises in forested areas with high rainfall to as much as 50% in some areas. A somewhat similar melanistic morph of jackal buzzard is also known and these birds can very hard to distinguish, perhaps only told apart by the stronger barring on the melanistic augur pale flight feathers. Dark morph long-legged buzzards may also be confused for melanistic augur buzzards but are clearly more slender in the wing, less blackish on the body and lack the bold rufous tail.
caption: A melanistic augur buzzard in flight.
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