Buzzard Behaviour

[Scots_Charles_River]

When it's dark, at a roundabout under the M9, which is very busy with traffic, I have seen a Buzzard standing looking down at what are Rabbit holes/warren entrances. I see this at 4-6pm ish when driving home and later at 9ish when coming off the motorway.

They, or it, seems to be just waiting for a wee head to pop out then snatch it away.....

Not seen any carcasses so presume it flies away with the body ?

I may hide down at the hedgerows and try to get a video or photo of it.

A Buzzard commonly sits on a lampost about 1/4 mile away and watches the grassy fields. It may be the frozen ground the last two weeks has forced this behaviour or just opportunistic ?

 

[WULF]

I love buzzards,seen many in the lakes but always too far away for my camera to get a good shot.

Would love to see your video/pictures if you manage it

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Ok, will post if managed to capture it !

 

[JonathanD]

Quite a few raptors will stay up quite late when they have artificial light to aid them hunt. They even use natural light from stars and the moon. I've watched sparrowhawks use the moonlight to highlight the silhouettes of bats above them as they fly close to the ground at the edges of woods and then shoot almost vertically to take them out in flight. One of the most amazing natural sights I've witnessed, and some individuals are incredibly good at it - taking six to eight bats within half an hour and returning every night until that particular resource is depleted.

 

[Harvestman]

Buzzards also naturally just spend a lot of time sitting in trees or on posts just watching for prey, especially when conditions are not good for soaring on thermals. it is a natural behavious for them, and if the light gives them a hunting opportunity, they will take it. Buzzards are great opportunists, which is one of the reasons they have done so well compared to other raptors.

 

[santaman2000]

Quite a few raptors will stay up quite late when they have artificial light to aid them hunt. They even use natural light from stars and the moon. I've watched sparrowhawks use the moonlight to highlight the silhouettes of bats above them as they fly close to the ground at the edges of woods and then shoot almost vertically to take them out in flight. One of the most amazing natural sights I've witnessed, and some individuals are incredibly good at it - taking six to eight bats within half an hour and returning every night until that particular resource is depleted.

Are the bat colonies there that small that they're so easily depleted? I'm used to bat colonies numbering in the millions.

 

[JonathanD]

Are the bat colonies there that small that they're so easily depleted? I'm used to bat colonies numbering in the millions.

Protected species over here, some species on the endangered lists.

 

[Elen Sentier]

We've had a resident pair of buzaards here for the 12 yrs we've been here. I quite often see the female (the bigger bird) out in the dusk and dawn, when the rabbits too are out. There's a big light over the turkey shed near there which she uses to help her hunt. Sometimes the male hunts that way too.

 

[Shewie]

I've had two experiences of buzzards doing a fly-by in front of my windscreen whilst tootling along. Once on the single track lane on the east shore of Coniston, No idea where it came from but it dropped down to the level of my car roof and just flew along with me as I drove, just off the end of the bonnet, I swear I could have reached out and almost touched it. As the road was quite narrow and enclosed with trees this went on for about 60 yards before it peeled away into a clearing.
The second time it happened was on the old B831 through Glen Fruin, again it came out of nowhere and flew along with the car but a bit further away and for a shorter distance this time. Amazing creatures to watch when they're just a few yards away in full flight.

There must be something quite appealing about a white car with a 16ft green canoe on the roof.

 

[woodspirits]

its been said by a few country folk i have met that they are lazy hunters who will often sit and wait for food to happen by. i have had a few close up encounters with buzzard and kestrel while operating earth movers in the countryside, often they will just follow me around waiting for an easy meal waiting untill i unearth a mouse, vole or whatever, then swoop in within a couple metres of me every morning for weeks i would see this buzzard perched up waiting for me to start work following my progress with those big hops!

 

[santaman2000]

Protected species over here, some species on the endangered lists.

Ahhh. I see. That might explain why I see so many threads about incresing mosquito populations.

 

[Bushwhacker]

They're a bit like a badger - most people think they hunt/kill live mammals where, in fact, they eat a lot of worms, slugs and carrion.
I'm greeted with quite a remarkable sight every day at work. I kid you not when I say there's at least 2 dozen, maybe 30 buzzards all stood in a ploughed field, equi-distance apart and feeding upon the very things I've just mentioned.

 

[Elen Sentier]

its been said by a few country folk i have met that they are lazy hunters who will often sit and wait for food to happen by. i have had a few close up encounters with buzzard and kestrel while operating earth movers in the countryside, often they will just follow me around waiting for an easy meal waiting untill i unearth a mouse, vole or whatever, then swoop in within a couple metres of me every morning for weeks i would see this buzzard perched up waiting for me to start work following my progress with those big hops!

Like the robins who follow me round the garden when I'm digging

 

[Elen Sentier]

They're a bit like a badger - most people think they hunt/kill live mammals where, in fact, they eat a lot of worms, slugs and carrion.
I'm greeted with quite a remarkable sight every day at work. I kid you not when I say there's at least 2 dozen, maybe 30 buzzards all stood in a ploughed field, equi-distance apart and feeding upon the very things I've just mentioned.

Wow!

 

[Ogri the trog]

I disturbed one on a fence post on the way into work this morning. Only about 300 yards from the house and I got within 10 yards of it before it stretched its wings, two lazy flaps as it flew a circle back onto the same post as I drove past.

Ogri the trog

 

[Bushwhacker]

Wow!

I've always wanted to take a decent photo, but the combination of a cameraphone, large ploughed field and brown birds doesn't have the desired result!

 

[British Red]

Get one as they circle


Buzzard Below by British Red, on Flickr

Out place in Hampshire had a big concrete area. On a hot day there could be a dozen going up on the thermal it put out.

Fun to watch though - used to love to see the wing touching in mating season


Buzzard Wing touch by British Red, on Flickr


Buzzard Wing touch by British Red, on Flickr



- and mobbing behaviour. Crows actually hitting them with wings was common


Mobbing by British Red, on Flickr

but watching house martins attack a buzzard is amazing - like seeing fighters going after a heavy bomber!


Mobbing by British Red, on Flickr

Lovely birds