BUZZING BUZZARDS
by Brooke
Have you ever wondered what those strange brown birds are
hovering above the field? Well now you can find out!
Those large birds are called buzzards! They are birds of
prey, which have an impressive wingspan of between 109-140 cm. Wow! They have
big wings! These buzzards are just as fierce as they look! Why? – because they
need to consume flesh – but don’t worry, they only eat small mammals, such as
mice, rats and rabbits. When food is scarce, they can also feed on worms and
insects if they need to.
Once nearly hunted to extinction, these birds have made an
almighty comeback, and are now thought to be the UK’s most common bird of prey.
You can normally find them in hedgerows and small woods, as
well as on our school field! Buzzards mainly nest in trees and decorate them
with fresh foliage.
Now next time you are on the field, be sure to listen
carefully for a mewing noise. If you hear this sound, then you have just heard
a buzzard’s call. If you are not successful, don’t worry you can listen to a buzzard’s
call at www.british-birdsongs.uk
So now you know all the facts, get
buzzard spotting!!