Common Buzzard

The common buzzard is a medium-sized, compact bird of prey, 51–57 centimetres long with a wingspan of 113–128 centimetres. The plumage varies from dark brown to almost white. The wings are relatively broad and the relatively short tail is rounded at the end; in circling flight the wings are held in a shallow V. The wingtips are always dark, the tail is usually closely barred throughout, and the crop area is usually streaked lengthwise, less often plain white to blackish-brown. The often paler breast band is streaked in young birds and cross-barred in adults. (German Wikipedia, general species account)

It is the commonest member of its family in central Europe and is often seen soaring or hunting from a perch, taking mainly small mammals. Its habitat is open landscape such as meadows, fields and heath with adjoining woodland where the nest is built. The range covers all of Europe except Iceland and northern Scandinavia and reaches east to Central Asia, and buzzards are mostly partial migrants. (German Wikipedia, general species account)