World Buzzards Day – 15th March
World Buzzards Day
15th March
The commemoration of this day is Buzzards Day, a day that celebrates the long return of these birds to their nesting grounds during the beginning of spring each year.
Buzzard, any of several birds of prey of the genus Buteo and, in North America, various New World Vultures (family Cathartidae), especially the turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura). Similarly, in Australia a large hawk of the genus Hamirostra is called a Black-breasted buzzard. In North America, Buteo species are called buteos, Buzzard hawks, or simply hawks.True buzzards, or buteos, constitute the subfamily Buteoninae of the family Accipitridae.
When in flight, they can usually be distinguished from other birds of prey by their broad wings and expansive rounded tails. They fly with slow heavy wing beats and soar gracefully. The plumage of most species is essentially dark brown above and white or mottled brown below, and the tail and underside of the wings usually are barred. There is much variability of pigmentation, however, even between individuals of a single species.
Buzzardsare carnivorous birds. Buzzards customarily prey on insects and small mammals and only occasionally attack birds. The nest, in a tree or on a cliff, is substantial, built of sticks and lined with softer materials. The two to five whitish eggs are blotched with Brown. Buzzards are slow fliers, so they do not usually catch their prey on the move. Instead, buzzards perch motionless on a branch while waiting patiently for a rabbit, rat or mouse to pass beneath it. Then they swoop down and surprise their prey.
They fly with slow, heavy wing beats and soar gracefully. The feathers of most buzzards are dark brown above and white or light brown below. The tail and underside of the wings are usually striped. The color of these birds varies.
– Source: Internet –