Hovering Buzzard?

[chickenzown]

Common Buzzards can hover perfectly well, in much the same manner as an Osprey. They do not require an such updrafts. They tend to only hover for short periods though.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by chickenzown

Buzzards DO hover, much like Kestrels,

Well not much like kestrels! As has been said, Kestrels truly hover with their wings thus the hovering is generated by the power of the Kestrel itself, balance is maintained by using the tail as a rudder. Common Buzzard use the wind and thermals, using the wing action to hold a level balance - just using wing action alone won't work for them as more than a momentary hunting technique - they need the wind and/or rising thermals to maintain a 'hovering' position. Honey and RLB do actually wing hover as species regardless of the weather.

[nightshade]

Buzzards do a fair job of hovering but it is a big bird. At Magor there was one that waited for the local commuter train in the hover then followed its progress along the cutting looking for whatever was disturbed by the train.
Then there was one near Folly Farm that waited along the straight to Chelwood and surfed in the wake of big trucks, probably for the same reasons

[chickenzown]

>> Picidae

Sorry mate, but your are wrong. Buzzards are extremely common here in Anglesey and they are often see hovering, as described above, in all weathers.

[ron1863]

We have lots of Buzzards up here and I have never seen one actually hovering - as a Kestrel does - with wings beating and staying in one place under it's own power. The Buzzards up here seem to use thermals and winds to stay in one place, hardly beating their wings at all.

[ChrisJB]

I too have seen a fair few Buzzards hovering. The first time however many years ago though, set me all of a wuther. I didn't know then they did it and thought I'd seen my first Rough Legged Buzzard. Alas not.
R.L.Buzzards are excellent hoverers. I've seen loads in Sweden and northern Norway and they do it all the time, with great gusto.

Regards, Chris

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by chickenzown

>> Picidae

Sorry mate, but your are wrong. Buzzards are extremely common here in Anglesey and they are often see hovering, as described above, in all weathers.

They're pretty common here too chickenzown and perhaps you could read posts a little more carefully before telling someone they are 'wrong'

Didn't say they don't hover, just they don't hover much like a Kestrel for the reasons I and several others on this thread have described and it's a different method and is very energy expensive as a hunting technique, hence the preference for perch and hunt. I've seen them hovering but never ''much'' like a Kestrel and for much shorter periods of time and far less frequently. Honeys and RL's that's a different kettle of fish and are well known for frequently hovering as a hunting technique, especially RL's. (doubt you've seen many of those in Anglesey though ).

Red Footed Falcon I certainly would describe as using frequently the hunting technique of hovering like Kestrel, but doubt you've seen many of those in Anglesey either!

Incidently, rising thermals are invisible, and generally better on warm sunny days as the ground warms up, it doesn't need to be windy at all. All birds of prey are adept at using rising thermals to spot prey on the ground and many are able to hover for brief moments but are unable to sustain it as it's so energy consuming. Much will also depend on time of year, available prey items and location.


Ditto Chris!

[nigel_b]

Thanks for the information.

We saw it from the NT hide at Middlebere, just to the south of RSPB Arne on the south shore of Poole Harbour.

It wasnt a long hover, either time, but it was definately stationary in the manner of a kestrel.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by diggleken

Buzzards do maintain station, using strong wind like Pauline says, not hovering with wingpower like kestrels do, at least not for more than a few wing beats.
Sparrowhawks can hover for a little while too, and are aso good at using thermals like peregrines. multitasking birds! Can be a bit confusing without experience!
Ken

Yes, I agree with all your points here. Sparrowhawk can be particularly confusing if they do their little hover bit too!

Ive seen Ravens over cliff tops hovering in the wind and various seabirds are also good naturally hoverers ... thinking of some species of tern in particular like Little Tern which frequently hovers before diving.