European Honey-Buzzard
Pernis apivorus

A: Wespedief
G: Wespenbussard
N: !hawu-ǂūxa hīsabes
Sp: Lejanose
Ss: Lejanotshi
Tw: Lejanotshe
Z: umanyovini

BIRD FAMILY
Buzzards

SIZE
54-60 cm (L)

HABITAT
Prefers wooded country (including suburbia) and may walk about the ground in search of wasps’ and bees’ its primary food are larvae , also small mammals and frogs and birds. Breeding in central and eastern Europe, migrating to central Africa, becoming more common in the southern African region possibly due to habitat degradation of previous areas.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION
Fairly common summer visitor. Slightly larger than Common Buzzard but could be mistaken for it. Plumage very variable; (a) probably most common, while dark morph (b) and paler morph occur. Appears smaller-headed than Common Buzzard, with longer tail and yellow or orange (not brown) eyes. In flight, head is kept well forward of the long wings; underwings have dark carpal patches and five primary flight ‘fingers’ , the tail two dark central and one terminal band. Immature lacks distinct tail-bands; has brown eyes.