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Rough-legged Buzzard
Buteo lagopus
Identify the Rough-legged Buzzard by sound or photo and log your sightings with Birdpass.
The Rough-legged Buzzard is a long-winged Arctic raptor that breeds across the tundra and northern forest edge of North America, Europe and Asia and migrates south to open country in winter. True to its name, its legs are feathered to the toes. Over open ground it often hovers into the wind as it scans for prey, unusually for so large a hawk. Its breeding numbers follow the cycles of lemmings and voles.
Did you know?
- Its name refers to its legs, which are feathered right down to the toes.
- Unusually for a buzzard, it often hovers like a kestrel while hunting.
About the species
Identification
Resembles Common Buzzard, but the wings are longer and held in a clear V when gliding and circling. The underparts are pale, the underwing shows black carpal patches and dark wingtips, and the pale tail has a broad dark terminal band; the belly shows a dark patch. Dark morphs are mostly chocolate-brown with a similar tail pattern.
Family
Accipitridae
Size
Large (crow)
Colours
brown, white, black, grey
About the habitat
Breeds on Arctic and subarctic tundra and open fell country; in winter moorland, bogs, marsh edges, coastal grassland and farmland.
Diet
Mainly small mammals, especially lemmings and voles; also other rodents, small birds and carrion.
Behaviour
Hunts by hovering or from exposed perches such as posts and poles, then drops onto prey; glides with wings in a shallow V. It nests on cliffs, rocky outcrops or in trees; clutch size, usually 3–5 eggs, varies with the food supply. In years with few rodents many pairs do not breed, and birds roam widely in search of food.
Sources
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buteo lagopus 29283.JPG
Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions, CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough-legged_buzzard
