Have you been seeing groups of buzzards recently? (1 Viewer)

L

Lmc3598

Well-known member

• Mar 24, 2011

• #1

Hi
During the past moth, i have seen buzzards going around in groups of three or four, but only two of them are actually displaying.
I can imagine that this would be a pair displaying, but why is there always an extra buzzard or two?
Thanks

 

T

Tideliner

Well-known member

• Mar 24, 2011

• #2

Its the best time of year to see displaying buzzards as pairs defend their terrory against wanfdering birds. Its fairly common to see 10-14 in the air togeather and on a couple of occasions I have seen 17 togeather.

 

martin kitching

Obsessed seawatcher

• Mar 28, 2011

• #3

I've had 'flocks' of up to 17 birds together in southwest Northumberland (where there is a high density of Common Buzzards) in April/May/June. These were almost all 2nd or 3rd calendar year birds, so presumably loose flocks of non-breeding birds.

cheers
martin

Lmc3598 said:

Hi
During the past moth, i have seen buzzards going around in groups of three or four, but only two of them are actually displaying.
I can imagine that this would be a pair displaying, but why is there always an extra buzzard or two?
Thanks

Click to expand...

 

halftwo

Wird Batcher

• Mar 28, 2011

• #4

Hi Lucas,

Buzzards are reinforcing territories and displaying at this time of year. They know their neighbours and often will get together with adjacent pairs for a while before going their separate ways.

Young (non-breeding) Buzzards sometimes join in the soaring - but are not tolerated by the adults, who will chase them off.

So, if your local population is dense enough a dozen or more together is a common sight in spring.

H

 

L

Lmc3598

Well-known member

• Mar 28, 2011

• #5

Thanks guys
The most i have seen together is 4. Although there are tons of them around here

 

eagle golden

Well-known member

• Mar 28, 2011

• #6

Lmc3598 said:

Thanks guys
The most i have seen together is 4. Although there are tons of them around here

Click to expand...

hi we saw quite a few groups not far from you last saturday, what a great site, did not see any of the bigger ones though, will keep trying

 

bejay1957

Member

• Mar 28, 2011

• #7

Recently seen soaring flights of 10-15 Buzzards here in Oxfordshire.
A definite pair are together in the wooded area bounding where I have my morning walk.

 

C

Cheshire Birder

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2011

• #8

Had quite a few "flocks" of Buzzards in the last few days. Always get birds passing thru my area in Mar/Apr and again in Sept.

CB

 

O

Oldbirder Ray

Well-known member

• Mar 31, 2011

• #9

halftwo said:

Hi Lucas,

Buzzards are reinforcing territories and displaying at this time of year. They know their neighbours and often will get together with adjacent pairs for a while before going their separate ways.

....

H

Click to expand...

I think it was Colin Tubbs, in his book on the Buzzard, who looked into this behaviour back in the 1960's. If I remember correctly he maintained that these groups of spiralling Buzzards are having territorial disputes. The aggression generated and hormones released are a necessary precursor to the pairs mating. Without this stimulus the pairs would not breed successfully.

I believe he claimed that it was a reason for the initial poor recovery of Buzzards after myxamatosis. Population levels were so low that even pairs in a suitable area did not breed as there were no adjacent pairs to have a territorial dispute with. When the denser areas of population did eventually spread, areas with non-breeding birds now had the necessary stimulation and the recovery accelerated.

Given all that it still is a magic sight to see several Buzzards spiralling together.

Ray