Newsletter / Blog
2011-06-27 Jackal Buzzard - Endemic to Southern Africa.
The Jackal Buzzard - Buteo rufofuscus - is a strikingly plumaged bird of prey. It is almost black above with a chestnut tail. The
primary flight feathers are blackish and the secondaries off-white, both
barred with black. Below the chin and around the throat is mainly
white, and the rest of the underparts and the underwing coverts are rich
rufous. The flight feathers from below are white, tipped with black to
form a dark trailing edge to the wing.
It occurs in much of South Africa, South west Namibia and Botswana and
generally prefers hilly or and mountainous areas with short
vegetation.
Jackal Buzzards feed mainly on small ground mammals, supplemented with birds, snakes and
lizards. They do most of the hunting in the air, once
it spots prey it stoops to catch the prey on the ground, occassionally a bird flying. It also scavenges at carcasses, especially in winter if food is scarce.
A territorial solitary nester, building a large stick nest in a tree or on a crag, that is often reused and enlarged in subsequent breeding seasons. The nest is built by both male and female. Two creamy or
bluish white eggs are laid and incubated by the female only. Food is brought to her on the nest by the male. The eggs hatch in about 40 days, and after a further 56–60 days they
can attempt flight. At 70 days they become independent of the nest, but
young birds may then be seen with the adult pair for some time.
This striking bird of prey can be
seen on the following Aves Tours/Safaris/Adventures : -
Aves Arid Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves Eastern Cape Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves KZN Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves North East
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves North West Tour /
Safari / Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Tour
/ Safari / Adventure.
Aves West Coast
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
|