Upland Buzzard

Upland Buzzard is larger than Buteo rufinus (Long-legged Buzzard) up to 70 cm, so size is essential to its identification. There are two possible forms, either very dark brown or almost black throughout the body, or much lighter. In this case, the head is pale, almost white, with a light brown cap, the eye is black with a yellow eye ring, and there is also a brown line on the head. The chest and throat are white, striped with dark brown marks. If you can observe from close proximity, then visible are the thighs and tarses completely covered with dark brown plumage, and this is what distinguishes it from Buteo rufinus which has the plummage more rust-colored, with less feather coverage (Long-legged buzzard in English!), and they may inhabit the same territories. The nape is light, the mantle and coverts remain dark brown. In flight, the Upland Buzzard shows very clear white marks on the primary coverts and a brown and white striped tail. The underside of the wing is white, with beige to dark brown coverts, which are black on the darker-form individuals. Identifying Buteo rufinus and Buteo hemilasius is easy for the lighter forms, but for the darker or black forms, it is much more difficult, and only the striped tail with more prominent white color with Buteo hemilasius, and size make the difference.