See also
Cyprus birds of prey - Αρπαχτικά πουλιά της Κύπρου
The European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), also known as the pern or common pern, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae
The 52–60-centimetre-long (20–24 in) honey buzzard is larger and longer winged, with a 135–150-centimetre (53–59 in) wingspan, when compared to the smaller common buzzard (Buteo buteo). It appears longer necked with a small head, and soars on flat wings. It has a longer tail, which has fewer bars than the Buteo buzzard, usually with two narrow dark bars and a broad dark sub-terminal bar. The sexes can be distinguished on plumage, which is unusual for a large bird of prey. The male has a blue-grey head, while the female's head is brown. The female is slightly larger and darker than the male.The soaring jizz is quite diagnostic; the wings are held straight with the wing tips horizontal or sometimes slightly pointed down. The head protrudes forwards with a slight kink downwards and sometimes a very angular chest can be seen, similar to a sparrowhawk, although this may not be diagnostic. The angular chest is most pronounced when seen in direct flight with tail narrowed. The call is a clear peee-lu.
The European honey buzzard is a summer migrant to most of Europe and western Asia, wintering in tropical Africa. It is seen in a wide range of habitats, but generally prefers woodland and exotic plantations.
It is sometimes seen soaring in thermals. When flying in wooded vegetation, honey buzzards usually fly quite low and perch in mid canopy, holding the body relatively horizontal with tail drooping. The birds also hop from branch to branch, each time flapping their wings once, and so emitting a loud clap. The bird often appears restless with much ruffling of the wings and shifting around on its perch. The honey buzzard often inspects possible locations of food from its perch, cocking its head this way and that to get a good look at possible food locations. This behaviour is reminiscent of an inquisitive parrot.
The honey buzzard breeds in wood land, and is inconspicuous except in the spring, when the mating display includes wing-clapping. Breeding males are fiercely territorial.
It is a specialist feeder, living mainly on the larvae and nests of wasps and hornets, although it will take small mammals, reptiles and birds. It is the only known predator of the Asian giant hornet. It will spend large amounts of time on the forest floor excavating wasp nests. It is equipped with long toes and claws adapted to raking and digging, as well as scale-like feathering on its head, thought to be a defence against the stings of its victims. It is thought that honey buzzards have a chemical deterrent in their feathers that protects them from wasp attack.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Photos Athalassa by George Konstantinou
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A female European Honey Buzzard Bird was fitted with a satellite tracking system in Finland recently and was of particular interest to locals because it spent the most recent austral summer around the town of Reitz in the Free State in South Africa. She left Reitz to start heading north on 20 April and on the 2nd of June, she finally reached Finland where she will probably spend the boreal summer before probably returning again next season for a visit in South Africa.
Here is an image showing the data received from the tracker which plots out the route that she took to head north... so, in just 42 days, she covered over 10 000 km at an average of more than 230 km every single day! Isn’t that just amazing...?!"
What is amazing is how she took a straight line north except for when she had to fly over water. (or Sudan)
Apparently she turned right at the source of the Nile and followed it. It is still fascinating that after that deviation she returned to the same longitudinal line she started on and continued until she reached her destination. Mother nature at its most fascinating best... From The Beauty of Animals+
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