Buzzards

[Paul_B]

We have quite a few buzzards, escapee and now breeding goshawks, sparrow hawks, kestrels and peregrines.

 

[spudgun]

A quick troll through YouTube

https://youtu.be/Lr3eMq2xftg


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[Cap'n Fishy]

Wow, Col, easker1

When the subtle approach fails...

 

[Cap'n Fishy]

A quick troll through YouTube

Thanks for those. A picture is worth a thousand words, eh?

Dead bunnies, my arse!

 

[4wings]

Working for a dairy group in the Mendips I quite often watched up to 30+ Buzzards following the plow,
for the worms and grubs thrown up to the surface. Clashes with Gulls often occurred.

 

[4wings]

Has anyone seen one of the Eagle Owls that are supposed to becoming regular stayers in the UK?

 

[bobmiddlepoint]

Never seen one take live food ever

I am staggered!

I've seen them take live rabbits all over the Westcountry, Uist and here in Sutherland. Beetles and worms off ploughed fields in winter. When I lived on a housing estate in Somerset a pair of buzzards would come in and raid dozens of crow nests in the woods behind the houses every spring. Frogs, snakes and lizards are known to be on the menu.

It is a daily occurrence (everywhere I've lived) to see buzzards drop onto things on the ground with talons extended. That isn't carrion feeding behaviour is it?


Andy

 

[spudgun]

Has anyone seen one of the Eagle Owls that are supposed to becoming regular stayers in the UK?

No but I've seen a program set near a quarry and cement works in Germany, where a pair of Eagle owls caught and devoured several Buzzards. The remains were scattered below the nest in a pine forest.
Cheers

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[easker1]

the Eagle Owls Breed on the Ranges near Catterick, well protected by the Army, the One that showed up in Inverness preyed on Sea gulls, easker1

 

[4wings]

Thank you both, I remember a Netherlands town where they gather in their hundreds in some kind of breeding ritual the film was amazing, but then they (being pumped up with hormones, started to attack people and the townsfolk wanted them out.

 

[aenoon]

Bottom line is Buzzards are predominantly carrion feeders, perhaps one could say they are lazy hunters of food.
They will, when needs must, and low energy opportunity is there, attack live prey, but they are still carrion feeders.

Bert

 

[Cap'n Fishy]

Bottom line is Buzzards are predominantly carrion feeders.

Wrong adjective. They are opportunistic carrion feeders. If there is carrion, they will feed on it. If there is not, they will hunt - like the birds of prey they clearly are.

Col

 

[taffy1]

I've been in a few syndicates that reared & shot pheasants, netted/fenced pens with electrified "loops" around said pens in order to deter foxes & badgers etc. There were 4 main issues, squirrels feeding on the corn, tawny & barn owls, goshawks & buzzards. Buzzards wouldn't hesitate on taking a live meal

 

[aenoon]

Wrong adjective. They are opportunistic carrion feeders. If there is carrion, they will feed on it. If there is not, they will hunt - like the birds of prey they clearly are.

Col

Not the wrong adjective at all.
Buzzards are more likely to feed on carrion first and foremost.
If none (carrion) available then they might hunt, hence the lazy hunter comment.

Bert

 

[Laxdale]

What is the difference between hunting and lazy hunting?

 

[Cap'n Fishy]

Not the wrong adjective at all.
Buzzards are more likely to feed on carrion first and foremost.
If none (carrion) available then they might hunt, hence the lazy hunter comment.

Bert

Is wrong adjective. It makes for a sweeping and inaccurate statement. What they mostly feed on will vary from place to place, depending on what is available locally. Ones that live where carrion is plentiful might live predominantly on carrion. Ones that live where there is very little carrion available, but plenty live food will predominantly hunt - for example pheasant rearers having issues with buzzards. When any bird of prey hunts, the last thing it can be described as is 'lazy'. Buzzards are birds of prey, not vultures.

Col

 

[easker1]

even Golden Eagles will take carrion, easker1

 

[glueman]

Is wrong adjective. It makes for a sweeping and inaccurate statement. What they mostly feed on will vary from place to place, depending on what is available locally. Ones that live where carrion is plentiful might live predominantly on carrion. Ones that live where there is very little carrion available, but plenty live food will predominantly hunt - for example pheasant rearers having issues with buzzards. When any bird of prey hunts, the last thing it can be described as is 'lazy'. Buzzards are birds of prey, not vultures.

Col

Release pens full of game birds is not natural thus easy pickings just the same as reservoirs full of trout is easy pickings for fish eating birds

 

[Cap'n Fishy]

Release pens full of game birds is not natural thus easy pickings just the same as reservoirs full of trout is easy pickings for fish eating birds

No one was trying to say it was natural. They are opportunists and take advantage of any opportunity. It's still live, though, eh? As opposed to dead stuff...

 

[Cap'n Fishy]

even Golden Eagles will take carrion, easker1

Good point.