Mountain buzzard

The mountain buzzard is a captivating bird of prey that inhabits the montane forests of East Africa. For a long time, it was mistaken for the same species as the forest buzzard found in southern Africa, but this is no longer the case.

Adult mountain buzzards are quite striking, featuring brown upperparts and lighter underparts. They display prominent brown blotches on their breast, belly, and underwing coverts, along with distinctive black bands on their flight feathers. These characteristics make them resemble the migratory subspecies of the common buzzard. Juvenile mountain buzzards, however, are usually buffier and have fewer markings compared to the adults.

These birds are found in mountainous regions stretching from Ethiopia to Malawi. They favor montane forests and even forest fragments, including areas populated with exotic trees like eucalyptus. In Malawi, however, they are strictly confined to montane rainforests and do not venture into open habitats.

Mountain buzzards are typically territorial and are often observed alone or in pairs. They primarily hunt small mammals, reptiles, and insects. Their hunting technique involves perching in the open and gliding down to capture their prey. For nesting, they construct stick nests high up in tall forest trees, with breeding seasons varying depending on their location.

From a taxonomic perspective, the mountain buzzard belongs to a larger group known as a superspecies, which includes the common buzzard, Madagascar buzzard, red-tailed hawk, and rufous-tailed hawk. Initially, it was thought to be a subspecies of the common buzzard. However, it is now recognized as its own species, distinct from the forest buzzard.