Common Buzzard of Britain and Ireland

The Buzzard (Buteo buteo) has recently become the commonest and most widespread bird of prey in Britain. Their population has rapidly increased over the last twenty years, particularly in England. Buzzards became extinct in Ireland until a breeding pair was reported in 1933. The population of Irish Buzzards has also increased and are now found in most counties in Ireland.

Other names for the buzzard are the Common Buzzard and Eurasian Buzzard.

Buzzards are medium-sized birds of prey with wingspans reaching up to between 113 and 128 centimetres, or between 3.7 and 4.2 feet. Males and females are alike although females have larger talons and beaks.

Adults start breeding when they are three years old. The average lifespan of the Buzzard is 12 years.

Pairs of Buzzards live and breed on their territories in a wide variety of habitats throughout the year. They are normally found in woodland, moors, heaths, farmland, bogs, marshes.

Villages are some of their typical haunts although they are now regularly seen near large cities such as Glasgow.

Pairs remain on their territories throughout the year and seldom move more than 100 kilometres or 62 miles, Hunting often takes place outside their territory along the edges of forests or on open land.

The main prey of the Buzzard are  voles, mice, rats, moles, rabbits and hares. They are generalists who also eat young birds such as pigeons and crows, earthworms, amphibians, large insects and carrion such as roadkill.

A great deal of their time is spent perched on trees or poles so they can swoop down on their prey. Buzzards make a cat-like “peee-uu” sound which can be heard during the year.

Buzzards have been resident in every county in Britain since the 1990s. The strongholds of the Buzzard are Scotland, Wales, the Lake District and south-west England. Their range has extended from Lincolnshire, East Anglia and down to Kent since 1991.

The population of Buzzards has increased significantly in Northern Ireland since 1995 according to the British Trust for Ornithology.

The Raptor Study Group in Ireland said “For a bird which became extinct in 1891 in Ireland and only began breeding again on Rathlin in 1933, its current breeding status is remarkable.

Buzzards were “believed to be currently breeding in 18 counties across Ireland with the expectation that it will eventually re-colonise every county in the future
(Irish News - https://www.irishnews.com/…/buzzard-s-eerie-cries-lighten-…/).

Pairs form lifelong bonds and begin breeding between April and May. They normally re-use an old nest in a tree on the edge of woods, a cliff or rocky crag.

Both the male and female make an untidy nest of branches and lined with soft material such as twigs, heather and bracken.

Two to three eggs are laid in April which hatch after 34 days. The chicks learn to fly after 44 to 52 days. The young are cared for by the parents for another 40 days when they become independent.

Sadly, most young buzzards die of starvation before reaching adulthood.

The Common Buzzard is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

Europe holds approximately 75% of the global population. Their numbers in Europe are stable according to Birdlife International.

The Buzzard is a green-listed species of bird in Britain.

Buzzards were common birds of prey across Britain until the nineteenth century. However, persecution by gamekeepers reduced the population to 1000 birds by the 1900s. They were only found in the western areas of Britain by the beginning of the twentieth century.

The number of Buzzard rose during the First and Second World Wars as killing birds of prey was made illegal.

The population of Buzzards was thought to be 10,000 by the mid-1960s.

The use of organochlorine pesticides caused a fall in the number of Buzzards between the 1950s and 1960s. Their food supply was also reduced during this time as myxomatosis killed over 90% of Britain's rabbit population.

The number of Buzzards increased rapidly during the 1990s with an estimated 68,000 pairs in Britain by 2013. Their numbers increased because of less persecution and banning of harmful pesticides.

The population increased rapidly in England by 2009 according to the British Trust for Ornithology. There was a range expansion in central and eastern Britain, making the Buzzard “the most abundant diurnal raptor in Britain”.

The charity also stated there was a “widespread rapid increase across Europe since 1980” (BTO - https://www.bto.org/birdtrends2010/wcrbuzza.shtml ).

Some of the main threats to Buzzards are human interference when nesting and ongoing persecution from gamekeepers.

Bird charities were concerned when Natural England issued a licence to a gamekeeper to kill 10 Buzzards. The gamekeeper believed Buzzards threatened his pheasant farm. They objected to issuing more licences by Natural England.

“Raptor persecution... is difficult to police, difficult to prove and even more difficult to punish” (Wildlife Articles - http://wildlifearticles.co.uk/when-business-is-a-buzzard/ ).

For more information on the Peregrine Falcon of Britain and Ireland, please visit http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/bird_per.html

Interesting Articles
BBC - https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35916515Co