Common buzzard

Buzzards are smaller than golden eagles but just as formidable as predators. These imposing hunters drop down on rabbits and small mammals from slow or hovering flight or from a perch. Having snatched their prey in powerful talons, they nearly always make their kill on the ground. In recent years, the population of British buzzards has exploded, and now thrives in areas where there were once only a few, such as Cheshire, Northamptonshire and the Lothians. They inhabit forests and areas of scattered woodland. During the breeding season, buzzards perform spectacular aerial displays, circling high in the sky before tumbling down towards the ground.

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