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Augur Buzzard
Highland grassland, crater rim, cliff edges and montane woodland
Habitat
Year round
Best Viewing Season
Least Concern
Conservation Status
Introduction
The dominant highland raptor of Tanzania's northern circuit, the augur buzzard commands the Ngorongoro Crater rim with its jet black back, white breast and bright rufous tail. Completely habituated to visitors, they perch on viewpoint railings and soar above the crater in territorial displays. A reliable sighting on every crater visit.
Behaviour & Facts
The augur buzzard is the most commonly seen raptor on the northern circuit highlands and one of the most striking birds of prey in East Africa. The typical adult has a jet black back and upperwings, a pure white breast and belly, and a bright rufous tail that catches the light in flight. A dark morph with an all-black body and rufous tail also occurs. They hunt from prominent perches on cliff edges, dead trees and roadside posts, dropping onto prey in a fast stoop. Their diet includes rodents, hares, snakes, lizards, frogs and large insects. On the Ngorongoro Crater rim they are commonly seen perched on the railings at viewpoints, completely habituated to human presence, scanning the grassy slopes below for movement. Augur buzzards are territorial and pairs hold the same cliff or hillside territory year round. Display flights involve soaring in wide circles above the territory with occasional steep dives and undulating sky-dances performed by both members of the pair.
Jack Fleckney - Legend Head Guide
They nest on cliff ledges, in tall trees, and occasionally on man-made structures. The nest is a large stick platform lined with green leaves, reused and added to each season. Clutch size is usually two eggs, and both parents incubate and feed the chicks. The augur buzzard fills a similar ecological role to the common buzzard in Europe or the red-tailed hawk in North America. It is a generalist highland raptor that thrives in open country with good perching and nesting sites. Its success across the northern circuit highlands is a sign of healthy rodent populations and intact grassland habitat. On the northern circuit they are most abundant around the Ngorongoro Crater rim, where the combination of cliff edges, open grassland and high rodent density creates ideal territory. They are also common in Arusha National Park and on any highland road between parks. They are less common in the low-lying Serengeti and Tarangire.
Where to see
Augur Buzzard
in Tanzania
Where to see augur buzzards in Tanzania?
The Ngorongoro Crater rim is the single best location, where they perch on cliff edges and viewpoint railings in plain sight. Arusha National Park and the highland roads between parks also produce regular sightings. They are less common in the low-altitude Serengeti and Tarangire but can appear along escarpments.
What do augur buzzards hunt?
Rodents, hares, snakes, lizards, frogs and large insects. They are sit-and-wait hunters that drop from prominent perches onto prey detected by movement on the ground below. The Ngorongoro Crater rim's rich grassland supports a large rodent population that sustains a high density of breeding pairs.
Are augur buzzards related to eagles?
Augur buzzards are in the family Accipitridae, the same family as eagles, hawks and kites. They are true buzzards in the genus Buteo, closely related to the common buzzard of Europe and the red-tailed hawk of North America. They are smaller and less powerful than most true eagles.
What is the dark morph?
Some augur buzzards have an all-black body instead of the typical black-and-white pattern, while keeping the rufous tail. This is a natural colour variation within the species called a melanistic or dark morph. Both morphs can occur in the same population and even in the same breeding pair.
How big are augur buzzards?
They have a wingspan of roughly 120 to 135 centimetres and weigh between 800 grams and 1.3 kilograms. Females are larger than males. They are medium-sized raptors, bigger than a kestrel but smaller than a martial eagle. Their size is well suited to the rodent and reptile prey they specialise in.
Do augur buzzards migrate?
No. Augur buzzards are resident year round on their territories. Pairs hold the same cliff or hillside through all seasons, which makes them predictable to find. The Ngorongoro Crater rim birds are so habituated that they are visible on virtually every visit to the crater viewpoints.
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