The Upland Buzzard is a big hawk of the high grasslands of Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau, and the largest of the Buteo hawks in the world by length and wingspan. It does not live in the United States; the closest North American bird in build is the Ferruginous Hawk.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Length 22–28 in (57–72 cm), wingspan 4.7–5.3 ft (143–161 cm). Long, barred tail and legs partly covered in feathers, like a Rough-legged or Ferruginous Hawk.
- Voice
- A drawn-out, nasal mewing call, similar to other buzzards, though it calls less often.
- Seasonal forms
- Comes in a pale morph (whitish chest, darker belly) and a that is almost all blackish-brown.
Look-alikes
Long-legged BuzzardButeo rufinus
Long-legged Buzzard is slightly smaller and usually warmer and more rufous. Dark birds of the two species are nearly impossible to tell apart.
Why they get mixed upThe two are very close relatives and overlap in Central Asia.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Alpine meadows
- Upland steppe
- Rocky plateaus
- Farmland in winter
- Range
- Breeds mainly in Mongolia, northern and northeastern China, southern Siberia, and the Tibetan Plateau into Nepal and Bhutan. Winters in central and eastern China, northern India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and passes through Korea, where small numbers also spend the winter. Not found in North America.
- Seasonal presence
- A partial, short-distance migrant: moves south in September–October and returns March–May.
- Preferred conditions
- Nests mostly at 3,300–14,800 ft (1,000–4,500 m), sometimes higher; moves down to lower open country in winter.
Behavior
- Diet
- Mostly small mammals such as voles, pikas, gerbils, and ground squirrels; takes birds when rodents are scarce.
- Activity
- Soars with wings raised in a strong V and often , then drops onto prey on the ground.
Life cycle
- Breeding season
- April–August, with eggs mostly laid in May.
- Nest
- A stick nest on a cliff ledge or rocky outcrop, lined with wool, grass, or dry dung.
- Clutch size
- 2–4 eggs
- Incubation
- 36–38 days
- Fledging
- About 45 days
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
More species to explore
Record what you meet and build your own collection
Your photos are kept with their date and place, and you can fill regional albums one species at a time.