COMMON BUZZARD.
BUTEO VULGARIS, Leach,
Buteo vulgaris, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. & Birds in Brit.
Mus. p. 10 (1816); Hewitson, i. p. 38; Yarr. ed. 4, i.
p. 109; Dresser, v. p. 449.
Falco buteo, Linn. S. N. i. p. 127 ; Naum. i. p. 346.
Buteo fuscus, Macg. iii. p. 183.
Buse, French; Bussard, Mause-Bussard, German; Arpella,
Spanish.
The Buzzard was formerly common and well known
throughout England, Wales, and Scotland, and in
Thompson’s time was also to be met with in certain
localities in Ireland; but although it still holds its own
in some of the wilder districts of our country, its
numbers have been very greatly reduced by trapping
and shooting, and in the agricultural parts of England
it may fairly now be called a rare bird. I am personally
acquainted with several nesting-places of this species in
England and Scotland; the nest is generally built on
cliffs, or tall trees, and is composed of sticks and twigs,
with wool and dried grass as lining ; the eggs, generally
three in number, are white, with spots and streaks of
rusty red-brown.
COMMON BUZZARD.
Buteo vulgaris, Leach.