Birds and roads

[ChrisW]

Sorry I accidentally posted this twice!!! - with a spelling correction though.

A couple of questions

I often see Buzzards along the side of the road, especially when there's low cloud (I presume they're 'grounded' because of this). Do Buzzard prefer to be here, or am I seeing just a proportion of the Buzzards which just happen to be near the roads? I can imagine that they would be attracted to disturb prey or possibly scavenge road kill, but I only ever see them sitting there looking, to my mind anyway, a bit miserable.

I've also seen Owls on the road at night, sitting on the white line in the middle of the road. Talking to other people this isn't a rare occurance. Are they waiting for prey, just caught something, attracted to white lines or suicidal? I suppose the white line is maybe better than the centre of a lane. I haven't run one over yet thankfully!

[nightshade]

I quite literally have had several brushes with buzzards (and owls) on my local roads.They are usually scavaging on road kills or taking earthworms
from disturbed earth at the verge,during the bunny season they hunt along roadside verges and hedgerows
The weather obviously does figure as from my garden and while I am out and about I can see them as mere dots against a blue sky,but wednesday, trying to get pics. of a particular buzzard, there were half a dozen on a half mile stretch of road sitting on bushes and telegraph poles(we have not had a telegraph since the 60 s)

[Helen]

HI Chris and welcome to the forum.

Buzzards do come down to scavenge on road kill, and can often be seen sitting by the road.

The reason you have only seen them sitting there, is that they are probably waiting for you to disappear before they do come down



Regards

[ChrisW]

Yes that would make sense. I'm sure my presence there would be less than welcome (unless I splattered something). Maybe they pick up small road kill and gobble it down elsewhere? I do disperse plenty of crows and magpies pecking at unrecognisable goo, but so far not one buzzard. Maybe I should walk around more instead of using the car. Thanks for your help.

[Helen]

Hi Chris. Birds of prey are vulnerable to attack when on the ground, they usually spend as less time as possible on terra firma.

They almost certainly won't come down to take prey in the presence of humans. I do see buzzards and red kites on a regular basis taking scraps of road kill, but they are pretty quick to fly away when they see a car approaching.

Regards

[Kev Lewis]

Buzzards are lazy bop and roadkill is an easy meal that carries less risk than trying to go after live prey. The owls on the white lines are probably owls that have been temporarily blinded by the lights of a previous car and the bright white line would possibly be the only thing they can see so they land there to recover?