The honey buzzard is a raptor known for its specialized lifestyle and unique adaptations. Found across Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, it belongs to the genus Pernis. This bird of prey plays a significant role in its ecosystem, particularly in controlling insect populations.
Physical Characteristics
The honey buzzard is a medium-sized raptor, typically measuring 52 to 60 centimeters in length with a wingspan ranging from 135 to 150 centimeters. Its plumage coloration is quite variable, often appearing reddish-brown, though adults generally show greyish-brown upperparts and paler underparts. Distinctive markings include a dark carpal patch on the underwings and a tail usually displaying three dark bars, with one broad band near the tip.
The bird’s head appears relatively small and elongated, giving it a somewhat pigeon-like profile in flight. Males typically have a blue-grey head and golden eyes, while females possess a brown head and amber-colored eyes. Juveniles have yellow or brown eyes. The honey buzzard possesses unique scale-like feathers on its head, around its eyes, and on its forehead, providing a protective covering. Its legs and feet are also covered in tough scales, and its relatively straight claws are suited for digging.
Habitat, Migration, and Range
Honey buzzards prefer habitats rich in woodland, including mixed, coniferous, and broadleaved forests, often near open areas. They are secretive forest dwellers, typically remaining inconspicuous within their chosen woods. Breeding populations are widely distributed across Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula eastward to southwestern Siberia, and extend into western Asia. Russia hosts the largest portion of the estimated 160,000 breeding pairs in Europe.
These raptors undertake extensive annual migrations. They spend the European winters in tropical Africa, specifically Sub-Saharan Africa and West-Central Africa, and some populations winter in southern Europe and parts of southern Asia, including Southeast Asia. Honey buzzards arrive at their breeding grounds in late April or May, departing again in August or September. They strategically avoid long sea crossings during migration, concentrating their movements over narrower stretches of water such as the Strait of Gibraltar, Sicily, and the Bosphorus. Their long-distance journeys are guided by a combination of magnetic orientation and visual memory of geographical landmarks.
Specialized Diet and Foraging
The honey buzzard’s diet is highly specialized, focusing primarily on the larvae and pupae of social wasps and bees, rather than honey itself. Wasps form a more significant part of their diet than bees. While these insects are their main sustenance, they may also consume other invertebrates, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, young birds, and even some fruits or berries. They are recognized as a predator of the invasive Asian hornet.
Honey buzzards spend considerable time on the forest floor, actively excavating the underground nests of wasps and bees. They use their strong claws and hooked bills to dig into the soil, sometimes reaching depths of up to 40 centimeters to access the insect combs. The birds locate these hidden nests by patiently tracking individual wasps returning to their colonies. Their unique physical adaptations support this foraging behavior, including dense, scale-like feathers around their head and neck for protection against stings. Their slit-like nostrils prevent dirt, wax, or insects from entering.
Distinguishing from Other Buzzards
Despite its common name, the honey buzzard is not classified as a “true” buzzard, belonging to the genus Buteo. Instead, it is part of the genus Pernis, which includes four distinct species of honey buzzards. It is more closely related to kites than to other buzzards.
Several characteristics help differentiate the honey buzzard from Buteo species. It is generally larger and longer-winged than the common buzzard, possessing a more elongated tail. In flight, its head appears smaller and more protruding, and it typically soars with flat wings, unlike the slightly raised wings of Buteo buzzards. Its specialized diet of wasp and bee larvae, along with adaptations like scale-like facial feathers and slit-like nostrils, further distinguish it from the more generalized hunting habits of true buzzards.