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Honey buzzard

 

The end of August has been pleasant for enjoying the last of summer weather and holidays, not only for people but also for birds. After the exhausting breeding period most birds have now had time to care for themselves although there are some species whose young leave the nest only now. One of these species is the honey buzzard, Bird of the Year, who as one of the latest nesters in Estonia now is busy with offspring that just have fledged.

 

The summer of this bird that arrives in late May and feeds on insects is brief and passes quickly. Soon after the fledging of the young they set out on the long migration to the tropical wintering areas in Central Africa.  About two or three thousand honey buzzards migrate from Estonia to Nigeria and nearby areas. Whether these countries also agree to receive the migrants nobody asks –buzzards recognize no national boundaries, and the favourable wintering grounds are worth the hazardous journey. Honey buzzards have already repeatedly had to flee a once a year from the regularly intolerable conditions in Europe: the route is known. 

 

In late August and the first half of September the otherwise secretive honey buzzards are thus seen and heard more often.

 

In addition to our local birds, the honey buzzards of our northern neighbours too pass Estonia at this time and so this is the best time for observing honey buzzards.

 

See and hear to how to recognize a honey buzzard: LINK

 

Be sure to register your buzzard observations on the e-questionnaire of the Bird of the Year: LINK

 

 

More information:

North Estonia Aarne Tuule, aarne.tuule@eoy.ee, 58002869

South Estonia Urmas Sellis, urmas@kotkas.ee, 5034799

 

The Birds of the Year 2015 are the buzzards: LINK