ID pitfall #2: Common Buzzard – Long-legged Buzzard

After the previous post comparing the Common Buzzard with the Rough-legged Buzzard here is another possible ID pitfall: a juvenile Common Buzzard and a juvenile Long-legged Buzzard.

Common and Long-legged Buzzard

The picture shows the size difference between these two species as it is in reality, so the Common Buzzard is obviously smaller. Checking the wing-body proportions one can conclude, that the Long-legged Buzzard has longer and a bit narrower wing than that of his relative.
Notable plumage characteristics are the difference in the tail barring (CB > 6-8 bars, LLB < 6 bars), the presence of the blackish carpal patch on the underwing of the Long-legged Buzzard. Although the Common Buzzard also has dark carpal area, it’s normally not very striking because of the dark underwing coverts (median,lesser coverts). The contrasting dark thighs and the cinnamon tone to the body of the Long-legged Buzzard are also important ID features. Kéép it mind that the Common Buzzard can have reddish coloration int he plumage especially int he tail (I don’t deal with the ’vulpinus’ form since it’s quite rare in Hungary).

The strictly protected Long-legged Buzzard has become a regular but rare breeder in Hungary.It nests primarily in the Hortobagy region and the southern part of the Great Hungarian Plain but the numbers of wandering birds during summer and winter have been also increasing. This species can easily become collateral damage if the control of Common Buzzards turns legal. Even killing a few birds can be fatal to the local population.

We hope this example proves it again to everybody how hazardous the envisioned raptor control would be and also that it was help to anyone looking for ID help differentiating these two species of buzzards.

Regards,

Gábor and András

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