Common Buzzard (Eurasian Buzzard)

The Common Buzzard is a medium-to-large bird of prey with a stout body, broad rounded wings, and a short, wide tail. Plumage is notoriously variable, ranging from pale cream to dark chocolate brown, usually featuring a heavily barred tail and distinct dark trailing edges on the wings. They are frequently seen soaring effortlessly in thermals or perching conspicuously on fence posts and telegraph poles.

Rich earth-brown base with prominent, darker brown transverse barring across the vane, interspersed with lighter mottled grayish-buff patches

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs and barbules along the main shaft, featuring plumulaceous (fluffy) downy barbs at the base

Sturdy, dark brown to black central rachis with a curved profile and high barb density forming a strong, cohesive vane

Stiff and smooth along the pennaceous vane for aerodynamic efficiency, transitioning to soft and silky at the plumulaceous base

Wing, specifically a secondary flight feather, determined by the moderate asymmetry and blunt, rounded tip suited for soaring

Distinctive dark brown transverse banding over a mottled brown and greyish background, stiff pennaceous structure, and a robust dark rachis characteristic of a medium-sized European raptor

Open countryside, moorlands, agricultural land, deciduous and coniferous woodlands, and forest edges

Widespread across Europe and the Palearctic, extending into parts of Asia; resident year-round in the UK including Exmoor, Devon

Apex avian predator playing a crucial role in controlling small mammal populations such as voles, mice, and rabbits, serving as an important indicator of ecosystem health

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), which has longer, narrower wings with finer bars; Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), which has a subtly different barring pattern and distinct facial features

Despite their English name, Common Buzzards are true hawks of the genus Buteo, not scavenging vultures. They often hunt by sitting and waiting for small mammals, but are equally adept at soaring in wide circles while emitting a distinctive miaowing call that resembles a cat.

In the UK and much of Europe, raptor feathers are strictly protected. Historically, feathers from birds of prey were occasionally used in traditional crafts or archery fletching, though modern regulations prohibit this.

Look for molted feathers around woodland edges, open moorlands, and common raptor perches during late spring and summer molt periods, often found alongside pellets or whitewash

Good condition with intact barbs and minimal fraying, showing slight natural weathering but structurally sound with no major breaks

Exmoor, Devon