Common Buzzard
(Buteo buteo)
The common buzzard is thankfully being allowed to live up to its name these days. Human persecution of the species has reduced since the early 1990s.
In most places, their numbers are now back to what are considered natural levels. They are a common sight in the skies around Killearn, as well as on roadside fence posts and telegraph poles, and local walkers are often lucky enough to hear the birds’ distinctive and rather loud mewing call as they soar on the thermals overhead.
Buzzards are medium-large sized birds of prey (raptors) with broad rounded wings often held in a shallow V shape in flight. Their plumage varies between individuals and changes as they age.
Fascinating fact:
You wouldn’t necessarily expect a majestic bird of prey to eat earthworms but buzzards enjoy them and can often be seen walking around fields looking for them. They also eat voles, rabbits and other small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and other insects.
Buzzards hunt in open land such as farmland and breed in nearby woods. The males stage aerobatic display flights from February to April to impress the females, who lay their eggs from April to mid-May after they have succumbed to the charms of their mate. The chicks fledge and leave the nest from the middle of June.
Did you know
There are now perhaps up to 20,000 breeding pairs of common buzzards in Scotland, but illegal persecution by humans remains the greatest threat they face.