European Honey Buzzard

## Description

The European honey buzzard is a bird of prey that soars on flat wings. It has a longer tail, usually with two narrow dark bars and a broad dark subterminal bar. The sexes can be distinguished by plumage, which is unusual for a large bird of prey. The male has a blue-grey head, while the female's head is brown. The female is slightly larger and darker than the male.

## Distribution

European honey buzzards are summer migrants to a relatively small area in the western Palearctic from most of Europe to as far east as southwestern Siberia. They migrate to tropical Africa for European winters. These birds inhabit a wide range of habitats, but generally prefer woodland, and exotic plantations and also occur in meadows, wooded savannah, and small wetlands.

## Behavior

European honey buzzards are generally solitary but congregate in large flocks during migration. These birds forage by day spending large amounts of time on the forest floor excavating wasp nests. They are sometimes seen soaring in thermals. When flying in wooded vegetation, honey buzzards usually fly quite low and perch in mid-canopy, holding the body relatively horizontal with its tail drooping. They also hop from branch to branch, each time flapping their wings once, and so emitting a loud clap. European honey buzzards often appear restless with much ruffling of the wings and shifting around on their perch. They often inspect possible locations of food from their perch, cocking their heads this way to get a good look at possible food locations. The common call of European honey buzzards is a clear ‘peee-lu’ and they also utter a melodious ‘whee-oo’ or trisyllabic ‘whi-whee-oo’.

## Diet

European honey buzzards are carnivores, mainly insectivores and they are specialist feeders on the larvae and nests of wasps and hornets. However, they will also take small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds.

## Reproduction

European honey buzzards are monogamous and form long-lasting pair bonds. Their breeding season takes place between May and September depending on location. During this time the males are fiercely territorial. Both adults build their nest and locate it very high in a tree. The female then lays 1 to 3 eggs and both parents take turns in incubation that lasts for about 30 to 35 days. The chicks hatch altricial (helpless) and remain in the nest for 33-45 days. They are fed by both parents. At 40 days of age, the chicks start climbing on nearby branches, but they are still provided into the nest. They become independent at about 55 days of age but remain in their natal woodland for about 20 to 30 days more. After that, they start their migration to Africa. Young European honey buzzards become reproductively mature and are able to breed when they are 2 to 3 years old.

## Population

### Population threats

The main threats to the European honey buzzards include hunting for sort, consumption and medicinal properties, habitat loss, pesticide poisoning, collisions with vehicles, and electrocution.

### Population number

According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the European honey buzzard is 290,000-430,000 mature individuals. In Europe, the breeding population consists of 120,000-175,000 breeding pairs, which equates to 241,000-350,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.

## Fun Facts

Despite its English name, the European honey buzzard is more closely related to kites than to true buzzards.

Being long-distance migrants, European honey buzzards rely on magnetic orientation to find their way south and a visual memory of remarkable geographical features such as mountain ranges and rivers along the way. The birds also avoid large expanses of water over which they cannot soar.

European honey buzzards are equipped with long toes and claws adapted to raking and digging, and scale-like feathering on their heads is thought to be a defense against the stings of their prey. These birds are also thought to have a chemical deterrent in their feathers that protects them from wasp attacks.

## References

https://animalia.bio/european-honey-buzzard