The honey buzzard is a large bird of prey very similar to the buzzard. It has broad wings, a long tail and a narrow, pointed head.
It holds its wings horizontally when gliding , not in a V shape like the buzzard.
Honey buzzards breed in deciduous or mixed woodland in the New Forest but they prefer deciduous woodland, especially beech. They are a summer visitor to the breeding sites but over-winter in Africa.
The honey buzzard has a clever way of hunting… it follows wasps and bees to their nest and then digs out the nest using its powerful, scaly feet. It has small, thick, scale-like feathers on the front of its face that help to reduce stings as well as slit-like nostrils that prevents them clogging up with soil whilst they are digging!
Omnivore - Mainly eats insects (larvae, eggs and adults) and particularly likes wasp and bee larvae. However, in the spring when these are scarce, it will eat a variety of other food, including reptiles, bird eggs, worms, berries and even small mammals!
Despite being one of the most numerous raptors in the world, the honey buzzard is rare in the UK. It is affected by disturbance and human pressures such as woodland management and development can affect their breeding success. In the UK it is illegal to disturb the honey buzzard during breeding and its nest and eggs are protected by law.