Honey-buzzard
Pernis apivorus (Linnaeus, 1758)
HZ
HONBU
2310
Family: Accipitriformes > Accipitridae

One of the UK's rarest breeding birds, Honey-buzzard is a raptor with a predilection for the grubs of wasp and bees.
While undoubtedly a rare breeding bird, the Honey-buzzard's preference for secluded mature woodland and secretive behaviour – spending relatively little time in the air – means that it is probably under-recorded.
Honey-buzzard is a summer visitor, whose wintering grounds lie to the south of the Sahara.
Identification
Honey-buzzard identification is often difficult. The following article may help when identifying Honey-buzzard.
Identifying Common Buzzard and Honey-buzzard

Buzzard is a familiar bird, but in summer and during migration time there is always the chance of finding a Honey-buzzard. Would you be confident in identifying it? Have a look at this guide to help you tell the difference.
SONGS AND CALLS
Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Honey-buzzard, provided by xeno-canto contributors.
Begging call
Call
Develop your bird ID skills with our training courses
Our interactive online courses are a great way to develop your bird identification skills, whether you're new to the hobby or a competent birder looking to hone your abilities.
Browse training coursesStatus and Trends
Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.
CONSERVATION STATUS
This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.
POPULATION CHANGE
There is little good evidence available regarding the drivers of the breeding population change in this species in the UK.
DISTRIBUTION
Honey-buzzard is a rare breeding species in the UK, with most records in southern England, plus Wales, north Yorkshire and Scotland.
More from the Atlas Mapstore.
Occupied 10-km squares in UK
No. occupied in breeding season | 81 |
% occupied in breeding season | 2.7 |
European Distribution Map
DISTRIBUTION CHANGE
% change in range in breeding season (1968–72 to 2008–11) | +554.5% |
SEASONALITY
Honey Buzzards are localised summer visitor, mostly arriving from May onwards, with a pulse of migrants in September in some years.
Movement
Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.
An overview of year-round movements for the whole of Europe can be seen on the EuroBirdPortal viewer.
RINGING RECOVERIES
View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.
Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Biology
Lifecycle and body size information about Honey-buzzard, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.
SURVIVAL & LONGEVITY
View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report
Maximum Age from Ringing ![]() |
12 years 11 months 21 days (set in 2018) ![]() |
Typical Lifespan ![]() |
9 years with breeding typically at 2 year |
Adult Survival ![]() |
0.86±0.013 ![]() ![]() |
Juvenile Survival ![]() |
0.419 (to age 2) ![]() |
CODES & CLASSIFICATION
Ring size ![]() |
G |
Field Codes ![]() |
2-letter: HZ | 5-letter code: HONBU | Euring: 2310 |
For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name
Research
Interpretation and scientific publications about Honey-buzzard from BTO scientists.
CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS
Causes of change
No further information is available.
Information about conservation actions
Numbers are stable or increasing, hence the Hooded Crow is not a species of concern and no conservation actions are currently required.
As is the case with Carrion Crow, Hooded Crows have been blamed for the declines of other species such as songbirds and waders, leading to calls to control numbers, and legal control of crows still occurs on shooting estates.
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