The white-eyed buzzard (Butastur teesa) belongs to the family Accipitridae. These white-eyed buzzard species are distributed in West Asia, Indian subcontinent and Myanmar.
Taxonomy of White-eyed buzzard
- Scientific Name: Butastur teesa
- Common Name: White-eyed buzzard
- French: Busautour aux yeux blancs; German: Weißaugenteesa; Spanish: Busardo tisa;
- Other names: Circus Teesa Franklin, 1831; White-eyed buzzard-hawk;
- Family: Accipitridae › Accipitriformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Species author: (Franklin, 1831)
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| Indian birds - Image of White-eyed buzzard - Butastur teesa |
Description
The white-eyed buzzard is a medium sized bird of prey, measuring 35 to 45 cm in length and weighing 350 grams. The wingspan is 85 to 100 cm. The female buzzard is slightly larger than the male. It is slim bodied and has whitish iris and throat. The ceres are distinctly yellow and and there is a dark mesial stripe. The head and back are dark and the underside of the body is darkly barred. When perched, the wing tip nearly reaches the tip of the tail. On the rufous tail there is a darker subterminal band. The wings appear narrow and the tips of the wing feathers is dark. The buzzard call is a mewing sound.Habitat
The white-eyed buzzard inhabits dry open land, open forest and cultivated lands.Feeding habits
The white-eyed buzzard preys on small birds, mammals, reptiles, frogs, crabs and insects like locusts, grasshoppers and crickets.Breeding
The white-eyed buzzard breeding season is from February to June. The nest is built on a tree with twigs and both the parents take part in nest building. The nest may contain up to three eggs. The female buzzard alone incubates the eggs.Distribution
These buzzard species are distributed in India, Iran, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. They are summer visitor in northeastern Afghanistan. They may go up to 1200m in the foothills of the Himalayas.Movement Patterns
The white-eyed buzzard are resident birds in their range. They may move down from higher elevations in winter. In northeastern Afghanistan, they are summer visitors.Status and conservation
The white-eyed buzzard has an extremely large range and population and hence it considered not vulnerable. The habitat loss and fluctuations in prey populations are the main threats to survival of these species of birds.The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated these buzzard species and has listed them as of "Least Concern".
| Biological classification of Butastur teesa | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Butastur |
| Species: | B. teesa |
| Binomial name: | Butastur teesa |
| Distribution: | Asia, Indian subcontinent and Myanmar; |
| Feeding habits: | small birds, small mammals, lizards and insects; |
| IUCN status listing: |  Least Concern |
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BN_WEB.jpg
Image author: Subramanya C K | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
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