Crested Honey Buzzard - Pernis ptilorhynchus
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| Male Crested honey buzzard. Note the slender neck with small head, red iris and the tail with two black bands. Photo by Dr Able Lawrence |
Also called oriental honey buzzard, this large raptor is more closely related to kites despite their relatively large size. They get their name from their partiality to bee and wasp hives which they raid for the larva and honey. They have a dark upper part feathers while, the ventral aspects are highly variable creating a potential for confusion with other species including Bonellis eagle. They have a tiny crest on the back of their heads and have slender necks with relatively smallish heads which lack ridges over the eyes giving them a pigeon like appearance. They have double black bands on the tail. The males and females can be distinguished since females are larger and have different eye colors. Males have reddish eyes while females have yellow iris. Although called a buzzard, they are not true Buteo (buzzards), being more closely related taxonomically to the kites. Unlike most other large raptors, their populations have been steadily increasing in India possibly reflecting increased availability of their choice food, namely beehives.
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| Breeding pair of Crested Honey Buzzard. The larger bird with yellow iris is the female. Photo by Dr Able Lawrence |
The top picture is that of a male which shows key features like the tail, the profile of the head that aid in identification (including the red eyes on the male) while the second image is of the pair with the distant, larger one with the yellow iris being the female. The smaller one sitting closer to the camera is the same individual in the other photograph. Due to their variability in coloration especially on the underside (from light to dark, to streaks and spots), they are commonly misidentified unless careful attention is given to shape characteristics as many observers called (from the second image) it a Bonelli's eagle, which is also of comparable size and color. Eagles have more prominent ridge over the eyes and bigger and stronger talons (the claws) and head.
Rangemap of Oriental Honey Buzzard from Xeno-Canto
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| Image frim www.xeno-canto.org |
