About the Crested Honey Buzzard
The crested honey buzzard, also known as the Oriental, Asiatic, or Eastern honey buzzard, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers. It is a fairly large raptor, larger than the European honey buzzard. The name honey buzzard is derived from their diets, which consist mainly of the larvae of bees and wasps extracted from honey combs. It is sexually dimorphic and has six subspecies.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
About 57–60 cm (22–24 in) in size, the crested honey buzzard is a fairly large raptor. The bird weighs 750 to 1,490 g (1.65 to 3.28 lb). The head lacks a strong superciliary ridge, giving it a facial appearance very unlike a raptor. It appears long-necked with a small head resembling that of a pigeon. It has a long tail and a short head crest. It is brown above, but not as dark as the European honey buzzard, and paler below. A dark throat stripe is present. Unusually for a large bird of prey, the sexes can be distinguished.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Crested Honey Buzzard sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa, Finland, Kenya.
When to see it
Peak activity in February · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Philippine Honey BuzzardPernis steereiThe body ranges from 52.5 cm to 55.3 cm in males and 52 cm to 59 cm in females; the wingspan is 2.1 times total length.
Barred Honey BuzzardPernis celebensisThe barred honey buzzard or Sulawesi honey buzzard is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
European Honey BuzzardPernis apivorusThe 52–60-centimetre (20–24 in)-long honey buzzard is larger and longer winged, with a 135–150-centimetre (53–59 in) wingspan, when compared to the smaller common buzzard (Buteo buteo).
Side by side: Crested Honey Buzzard vs European Honey Buzzard · Cinereous Vulture vs Crested Honey Buzzard · Crested Honey Buzzard vs Snail Kite
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