Herilaseviu kaamera uudised
VIDEO: Honey buzzard looking for prey
Video recorded by Raivo Tõnissaar
Translation Liis
Honey buzzard Herilaseviu Pernis apivorus
Honey buzzards arrive in Estonia when proper spring is here – as insect-eaters they have no other choice and so they come in early May.
Wasps as well as bumblebees, more rarely passerines and smaller amphibians are on the menu. They locate the nests of the insects, sitting somewhere on a branch (their eyesight must be truly good) and go in action.
How is it possible to attack stinging insects? The honey buzzard has such dense head plumage – comparable to the scales of fish – that it protects against the attacks of wasps. In literature it is moreover stated that certain chemicals in the plumage of the bird have a calming effect on wasps. Raivo’s video demonstrates the hard work that the honey buzzard must do with its strong legs to get hold of the food.
Unfortunately nothing happens in the honey buzzard camera; we could have got a better insight in the life of this bird with its interesting mode of life. Honey buzzards are not particularly rare in Estonia; there are about a thousand active pairs.
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