Common Buzzard
(Buteo buteo)
Buzzards are fascinating birds that have adapted their appearance to fit into their environment. Not to be confused with the majestic golden eagle, buzzards have a wingspan of around 120cm and weigh up to 1kg. They are typically brown in colour, with some individuals having a light necklace beneath the breast and white undersides to the wings. In comparison, golden eagles are much larger and only found in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Buzzards have sharp, hooked beaks and large feet with sharp talons, which they use to capture their prey.
They live in a wide variety of habitats, such as woodlands, farms, moorlands, and even urban areas where there is plenty of green space. They are beautiful birds to observe and a delight to see in the wild!
Buzz
Buzz arrived at the sanctuary in February 2015, after we were contacted by Lockwood Veterinary Surgery where he was undergoing some major care and treatment. Sadly Buzz had been hit by a car on a motorway but was thankfully spotted by a driver who stopped to get him and rush him to the vets.
On arrival, Buzz couldn’t even stand up, but they didn’t give up on him and worked tirelessly to get him stronger and back on the road to recovery.
He was tube fed as he couldn’t feed himself, and gradually started to regain strength and was able to stand up and walk around after a few days of intensive care from the amazing vets and nurses looking after him.
At this stage, we were contacted to see if we could take him in and Buzz came to live with us at the sanctuary where the work of rehabilitating him started. Our team had to teach him how to swallow food and eventually feed himself.
Eventually, he started to try to fly again, but it was clear that there was some permanent damage and he would not be able to fly long distances in the wild anymore, so we made the decision to keep him here, as he had settled very well with us and we knew that we could give him any extra care that he might need throughout his life!
Keeping a “wild” animal captive is not a decision we take lightly and something that is not always possible for the individual’s welfare, but in this case, he seems to be doing well with us – rest assured his health and welfare are carefully monitored by our team and vets!
Forever in Our Hearts
Although these beautiful buzzards are no longer with us and are missed so very much, they live on always in our hearts and minds. As long as we continue to speak their names and tell their stories, they are still with us and will never be forgotten!
Emma