The
Honey Buzzard (
Pernis apivorus), sometimes known as the "pern", is a
bird of preyBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
in the family
AccipitridaeThe Accipitridae is one of the two major families within the order Accipitriformes . Many well-known birds, such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures are included in this group...
which also includes many other
diurnalDiurnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the day and sleeping at night. Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects and birds...
raptorsBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
such as
kitesKites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mostly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey....
,
eagleEagles are large birds of prey which are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa...
s and
harriersA harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks forming the Circinae sub-family of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles or birds....
.
Despite its name, this species is not related to the true
buzzardA buzzard is one of several large birds, but there are a number of meanings as detailed below.-Old World:In the Old World Buzzard can mean:* One of several medium-sized, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings....
s in the genus
ButeoButeo is a genus of medium-sized wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings. In the Old World, members of this genus are called "buzzards", but "hawk" is used in North America...
, and is closer to the kites.
It is a summer
migrantBird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. These however are usually irregular or in only one direction and are termed variously as nomadism, invasions,...
to most of
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and western
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
, wintering in tropical
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
. It is a specialist feeder, living mainly on the larvae and nests of
waspThe term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their numbers,...
s and hornets, although it will take small mammals, reptiles and birds.
The
Honey Buzzard (
Pernis apivorus), sometimes known as the "pern", is a
bird of preyBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
in the family
AccipitridaeThe Accipitridae is one of the two major families within the order Accipitriformes . Many well-known birds, such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures are included in this group...
which also includes many other
diurnalDiurnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the day and sleeping at night. Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects and birds...
raptorsBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
such as
kitesKites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mostly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey....
,
eagleEagles are large birds of prey which are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa...
s and
harriersA harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks forming the Circinae sub-family of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles or birds....
.
Despite its name, this species is not related to the true
buzzardA buzzard is one of several large birds, but there are a number of meanings as detailed below.-Old World:In the Old World Buzzard can mean:* One of several medium-sized, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings....
s in the genus
ButeoButeo is a genus of medium-sized wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings. In the Old World, members of this genus are called "buzzards", but "hawk" is used in North America...
, and is closer to the kites.
It is a summer
migrantBird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. These however are usually irregular or in only one direction and are termed variously as nomadism, invasions,...
to most of
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and western
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
, wintering in tropical
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
. It is a specialist feeder, living mainly on the larvae and nests of
waspThe term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their numbers,...
s and hornets, although it will take small mammals, reptiles and birds. It is thought that honey buzzards have a chemical deterrent in their feathers that protects them from wasp attack. The specific name
apivorus means "bee-eater", although
beeBees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s are much less important than wasps in its diet.
The Honey Buzzard breeds in
woodlandEcologically, a woodland is an area covered in trees, usually at low density, forming an open habitat, allowing sunlight to penetrate between the trees, and limiting shade. Woodland may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to...
, and is inconspicuous except in the spring, when the mating display includes wing-clapping. Breeding males are fiercely territorial.
The 52–60 cm long Honey Buzzard is larger and longer winged (with a 135–150 cm wingspan) than the
Common BuzzardThe Common Buzzard is a medium to large bird of prey, whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia. It is typically between 51-57 cm in length with a 110 to 130 cm wingspan, making it a medium-sized raptor. There are around 40,000 breeding pairs in Britain...
Buteo buteo. It appears longer necked with a small head, and soars on flat wings. It has a longer tail, which has fewer bars than the
Buteo buzzard, usually with two narrow dark bars and a broad dark sub-terminal bar.
The sexes can be
distinguished on plumageSexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. Examples include colour , size, and the presence or absence of parts of the body used in courtship displays or fights, such as ornamental feathers, horns, antlers or tusks.-Examples:In...
, 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.
Being a long distance migrant, the Honey Buzzard relies on magnetic orientation to find its way south, as well as a visual memory of remarkable geographical features along the way (Mountain ranges, rivers, etc.). This species follows precise migratory routes that avoid large expanses of water over which it cannot soar. Accordingly, great numbers of Honey Buzzards can be seen crossing the
Mediterranean seaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it...
over its narrowest stretches, such as the Gibraltar Strait, the Bosphorus, or in
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
.
The call is a clear
peee-lu.
Status in Britain
Honey Buzzard is a rare breeder and scarce migrant in Britain. Its most well-known summer population is in the New Forest, Hampshire, but it is also found in Wareham Forest (Dorset), in Swanton Novers Great Wood (Norfolk), in the Neath valleys (South Wales), in the Clumber Park area (Nottinghamshire), near Wykeham Forest (North Yorkshire), around Rusland Moss in Cumbria, and at numerous other sites in Wales and Scotland.
Behaviour
The Honey Buzzard is seen in a wide range of habitats, but generally prefers woodland and exotic plantations.
It is sometimes seen soaring in thermals. The soaring
jizzJizz is a term used by birders to describe the overall impression or appearance of a bird garnered from such features as shape, posture, flying style or other habitual movements, size and colouration, combined with voice, habitat and location....
is quite diagnostic; the wings are held straight with the wing tips horizontal or sometimes slightly pointed down. The head protrudes forwards with a slight kink downwards and sometimes a very angular chest can be seen, similar to a Sparrowhawk, although this may not be diagnostic. The angular chest is most pronounced when seen in direct flight with tail narrowed. When flying in wooded vegetation, Honey Buzzards usually fly quite low and perch in mid canopy, holding the body relatively horizontal with tail drooping.
The bird often appears restless with much ruffling of the wings and shifting around on its perch. The Honey Buzzard often inspects possible locations of food from its perch, cocking its head this way and that to get a good look at possible food locations. This behaviour is reminiscent of an inquisitive
parrotParrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most warm and tropical regions. The order is subdivded in three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Nestoridae...
.
Honey Buzzards also hop from branch to branch, each time flapping their wings once, and so emitting a loud clap.
Mimicry
It has been suggested that the similarity in plumage between juvenile Honey Buzzards and Common Buzzard has arisen as a partial protection against predation by Northern Goshawks. Although that formidable predator is capable of killing both species, it is likely to be more cautious about attacking the better protected
Buteo species, with its stronger bill and talons.
Similar
Batesian mimicryBatesian mimicry is a form of mimicry typified by a situation where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a common predator...
is shown by the
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
n
Pernis species, which resemble the
Spizaetus hawk-eagles
External links