Hungry young buzzard - advice please?

[werdnal]

Every year we are lucky enough to have a pair of buzzards who breed in a patch of pine trees about 100 yards from our house. This year for some reason they only managed to raise one chick, when usually they have 2, and he fledged rather late. In previous years, once their brood are flying well, they tend to move away and take their offspring with them.

This year however, the youngster has stayed here and been "abandoned" when the parents moved on. We know its the same one who flegded this year as he (or she) is very light in colour - looks almost like a barn owl from a distance.

Whether this is usual behaviour for a young buzzard, or whether he is struggling to find enough to eat, we are not sure, but he spends most of his time sitting on the fence surrounding our field. He occasionally flies down to the ground, then walks around looking for insects and worms I assume. He is not aways successful in finding much, and with the onset of this horrendous wet and stormy weather, we are concerned that we haven't seen him at all today. I know buzzards tend to rely a lot on small prey items, but he gives the impression he is sometimes struggling to find anything.

I was wondering if we can supplement his food in away way - asked my hubby to look out for a road kill rabbit on his way to work tomorrow, which we can "plant" in the field for him to find. I even thought some lumps of tinned dog food might catch his eye. Should we even be attempting to feed him? Its such a quandry and we hate to think of his demise if we could have done something to help him along.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks

[tufftie]

Go for cat food rather than dog food as it's easier to digest. Keep an eye on it - if in doubt ring a wildlife rescue person. There used to be one in Mousehole if you're near there.

[mh68]

I know someone who uses raw mince placed on top of a post/tree trunk to bait them for photography purposes. The odd roadkill rabbit left in the field wont do any harm either....may be best to stake it down though so other animals cant drag it off....

Mark

[Gill Catton]

Sitting around on feces is typical for buzzards so I wouldn't worry too much, it may just had dispersed from the area off to find its own territory.


If you do want to feed it, try not to put down food that may attract rats or even foxes that might then end up being extra competition for the worms and insects your buzzard has been looking for.

[m1.carson]

Hi,

Yes, the feed I've seen put out for BOP has always been hung off a post, usually very near the top, then they can perch on the top and feed.

Have you a local butcher, who could help out with rabbit skins etc.

Max.