Buzzard Behaviour (Question - No Pics)

PlaneMike

PlaneMike

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Mike
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I've seen 5 or 6 buzzards together in the sky often enough but the day before yesterday I saw 10 buzzards in the sky all at the same time.

8 of them were circling in the same general spiral together at varying heights.

Is it common to see so many aloft together or was this an unusual event ? - certainly the most I've ever seen at one time. I'm guessing they are likely to be related?

Mike
 
Cant answer your question but
I Know a place not to far from me where there are up to 20 in a field all spaced out like they each have there own patch
 
Yes, a regular sight to see buzzards together.
 
Common sight sight here to see those numbers circling together - they would have been on a thermal.
 
Yep! common as muck that is ;) I counted 25 over a field late last year.
 
Buzzards are quite often seen in groups over the winter months. When on the ground in a field they are probably feeding. A study found that sommething like 60% of what they eat is worms! Not really what comes to mind for such a large bird of prey.
 
I've heard they eat worms, also Rabbits but I don't think they can move or fly quick enough for anything with speed. They should be pairing up soon.
 
Iv seen Buzzards/lesser spotted eagles and storks all in the same thermal,fantastic viewing.
 
molly said:
I've heard they eat worms, also Rabbits but I don't think they can move or fly quick enough for anything with speed. They should be pairing up soon.
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Not quite true! They (and others) will take the easy meal if offered, but I was sat in the Rufford hide at Mere Sands watching this Buzzard wheeling over some trees 5/6 hundred meters away. Suddenly, it dived down to 2ft over the water and flew at a terrific pace to a small sand bar opposite and grabbed a young rabbit on the ground. After a couple of minutes, it took off again with the prey to the trees! Not having a big lens at the time, the pics were rubbish!
 
dinners said:
Common sight sight here to see those numbers circling together - they would have been on a thermal.
Click to expand...

Impressive sight isn't it. They're so expert at finding thermals glider pilots sometimes use them as markers!
 
I stopped my car to get a shot a few months back, by the time I'd got the camera out he was so high I couldn't believe the altitude it had gained in such a short time.
 
Agree with everyone, i'm not bird expert but i read quite a bit.

I've never seen more than 5 at once,
This time of year they will stay closer together to feed and will be pairing up.
In the next few months they should be displaying, i.e. dive bombing each other.

Buzzards are not the best BOP for catching wild prey, they will take rabbit but are not the best hunters, mainly due to their relativley small talons for their size.
They will eat more frogs, road kill and worms in winter months.
 
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