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Rough-legged Buzzard
(Buteo lagopus)
: "Rough-legged Hawk"; misnomer: "Rough-legged Falcon"
 German name(s): "Raufußbussard"
Size: 49-59 cm; wing span 1.25-1.5 m
Weight: 600-1660 g (females heavier than males)
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Rough-legged Buzzards are medium-sized raptors.
Descriptions of their
plumage are made difficult by the fact that their appearance
is very inhomogeneous, even within each individual race.
They can look near-black, without conspicuous markings, or mottled
light grey-brown with copious streaking and scalloping.
Common features are broad wings with a slight forward curvature
and a broad tail with a rounded tip. The underwings show primaries
with wide off-white wing panels, while the coverts are usually
dark-brownish and the tips of the flight feathers are black,
giving the wings a dark trailing edge.
On average they are somewhat lighter than
Common Buzzards.
Their characteristic features are the completely feathered legs,
which are an adaptation to their preferred habitats during the
breeding season, in the arctic circle, and the near-white tail
with one or more (sub-)terminal dark bands.
The irises are orange-brown. The short, hooked
bill is dark-grey with a yellow base. The feet are yellow.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See
Rough-legged Buzzard at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Rough-legged Buzzard is available
HERE
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There are at least 3 recognized races of Rough-legged Buzzards,
which are a migratory species found all around the northern
hemisphere. All races breed at high geographic latitudes,
between roughly 61 and 76 degrees northern latitude. Their
wintering grounds are at latitudes of about 30-50 degrees
northern latitude.
Nominate race
"lagopus" breeds in northern Europe and Asia, from the Benelux
countries to eastern Asia.
Race "kamtchatkensis" breeds from north Siberia to Pacific North
America.
Race "sanctijohannis" breeds in North America.
In Europe nominate race
"lagopus" is found. Their breeding range extends from southern
Norway eastward, via northern Scandinavia into arctic Eurasia.
Their wintering grounds range from the Benelux countries, with
the rivers Rhine and upper Danube as the border, but also from
the Alps and throughout the Balkans and on, along the northern
side of both the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, eastward.
During their migration they can be found in the areas in between.
They are NOT present in France, Italy, Iberia, southern Greece
and the Mediterranean islands. They are not found in Asia Minor
or southward of the Caucasus either.
During the breeding season Rough-legged Buzzards have a preference
for open country, such as tundra or taiga, for hunting, with either
scattered trees or cliffs or bluffs for nesting.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "lagopus"
D. Wilczynska reports spotting a Rough-legged Buzzard, nominate race
"lagopus",
between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, in January 2016.
All sighting and photographic information presented on
this page has kindly been contributed by D. Wilczynska.
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Photos |
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Race "lagopus"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Lateral view of a Rough-legged Buzzard (photo courtesy
of D. Wilczynska)
[Between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, January 2016]
Rough-legged Buzzard landing on its perch; the dangling right
leg is clearly feathered to the base of the foot (photo courtesy
of D. Wilczynska)
[Between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, January 2016]
Rough-legged Buzzard launching itself into the air
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, January 2016]
Rough-legged Buzzard in flight seen from underneath; note the
near-white centre of the belly and the two tail bands, which
are indicative of a male (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, January 2016]
Rough-legged Buzzard in flight seen from above (photo courtesy
of D. Wilczynska)
[Between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, January 2016]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
