Upland Buzzard

About the Upland Buzzard

The upland buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. The largest species of the Buteo genus, this buzzard lives in mountainous grassy and rocky areas in areas of Central Asia, northern South Asia and East Asia from Kazakhstan to Korea. The upland buzzard is migratory but typically covers a short distance apparently to avoid snow cover that may hamper prey capture. This species primarily subsists on small mammals but does not shun alternate prey from small to large birds and insects. This little-known raptor has a large range, and though generally uncommon, it is not thought to be rare or declining as a species. As a result, it is classified as least concern by the IUCN.

The upland buzzard species was first described by Temminck and Schlegel in 1844 and is monotypic. Currently, this species is considered to form a superspecies with the long-legged buzzard. At one time, the upland buzzard was considered as conspecific with the long-legged species. A small molecular study found that there was not a strong genetic affinity between the upland and long-legged buzzards. There is some circumstantial claims that they will... Wikipedia →