Hawks and eagles
Long-legged Buzzard
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Buteo rufinus
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How to recognize it
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57–65 cm, larger and broader-winged than Common Buzzard
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Long broad wings, relatively long tail; eagle-like shape
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Pale head and breast, rufous belly and legs
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Slow flight, often hovers; call "kyaa"
About the species
The Long-legged Buzzard looks like a sturdy, broad-winged raptor with a strikingly eagle-like shape in flight. It often sits very upright on an exposed perch, scanning the ground from a high point rather than staying hidden.
It is not very vocal, but when it calls the voice is close to a Common Buzzard’s, only longer and less frequent. It hunts from lookout points and also on the wing, with a slow, steady style that can include a short chase on the ground.
It favors open, dry places — steppe, semi-desert, mountain slopes, and the edges of deserts. Small mammals make up most of its diet, but it also takes reptiles, insects, and carrion in winter; in the north of its range it moves away for the colder season.
Where to find
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On city outskirts with vacant lots, rough grass and open ground, the Long-legged Buzzard may be seen standing on the ground and walking slowly while hunting rodents.
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On utility poles by open edges, rail yards and industrial fringes — a perched raptor is easier to spot when it spends a long time scanning from a raised lookout.
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Along steep river banks, old quarries and rocky embankments, where it often uses exposed ledges and then rises into wide circles over open space.
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Over large lawns and the edges of fields on the city fringe in spring and autumn — watch for slow hovering and a brief drop to the ground when it spots prey.
