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- Osprey, Pandion haliaetus. Bigger than a buzzard, the osprey has pale underparts, long wingtip feathers and dark patches where the wings bend. It can be mistaken for a gull.
- Red Kite, Milvus milvus. This elegant bird of prey has a uniquely forked tail and angular wings that give it a rakish silhouette. It has a buoyant flight style, constantly altering its wing and tail pitch to execute sudden changes of direction.
- Marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus. A buzzard-sized bird of prey with a long tail. It flies with its wings lifted up in an obvious ‘V’ shape, though this can be hard to see from below.
- Buzzard, Buteo buteo. Britain’s commonest bird of prey, the buzzard is the species most often seen soaring. It wheels about in the air on broad wings, with its tail fanned out and wingtip feathers widely splayed.
- Golden Eagle
- Sea Eagle Or White-Tailed Eagle
- Osprey
- Buzzard
- Honey Buzzard
- Red Kite
- Marsh Harrier
- Hen Harrier
- Montagu’s Harrier
- Goshawk
500 UK breeding pairs, status green This iconic bird stands for a centuries-old image of power thanks to its bold features, physical strength and 7ft wingspan fingers. Some mistake buzzards for eagles, but, believe me, when you see an eagle (in the Scottish Highlands), you know it’s an eagle. They’re impressively agile for a large bird, capable of ...
106 pairs, conservation status red (UK), green (Europe and global) The sea eagle – often dubbed a flying barn door – is our largest bird of prey, with an 8ft wingspan, finger-like feathers on the wing and distinctive tail tips that are only white when adult. Mating displays, which start in March, involve locking talons and cartwheeling through the ...
200–250 pairs, status amber (UK), green (Europe and global) This is one of Nature’s most impressive sights when it flies high above water, its bright, white body suspended between dappled wings that stretch to nearly 6ft. The stoop is even more spectacular, as it crashes into the water talon first and re-emerges with a feather-drying shake and a wr...
79,000 pairs, status green Buzzards have enjoyed a remarkable comeback and now soar on thermals in every county, often with a cat-like mewing. This medium-sized hawk has a wingspan of up to 4ft 6in and varies in colour from almost white to dark brown. Part of its success is being a generalist: it scavenges and preys on anything from rabbits to worm...
70 pairs, status amber (UK) and green (Europe, global) Bee hawk would perhaps be a better name for this highly specialised raptor, as it doesn’t actually eat honey, but will follow a wasp or bee back to its nest, dig out the comb and feast on the grubs. It’s easy to miss this rare, secretive summer visitor, of a similar size to the common buzzard, ...
1,800 pairs, status green (UK), near threatened (Europe, global) The now familiar red kite isn’t shy; in ancient times, it thrived by living and scavenging alongside man in towns. Thanks to reintroductions, which begun in 1989, in England and Scotland and the nurturing of a remnant population in Wales, these magnificent birds – with russet plumage,...
400 pairs, status amber (UK), least concern (Europe, global) The cock and hen look quite different – the larger hen is dark brown with a gold crown and the cock is quite the dandy of the raptor world. They were once thought to frequent only marshland and reed beds, but are just as likely to be seen hunting and nesting in arable crops. All harriers ...
646 pairs, status red (UK), near threatened (Europe), least concern (global) Sometimes described as ‘the ghost’, the pale-grey male drifts over moorland with slow flaps of his long black-tipped wings, which form a recognisable V shape. The dark-brown female hugs the ground, the long tail steering her over every contour, only the flash of her white ...
15 pairs, status amber (UK), least concern (Europe, global) The smallest and rarest harrier, named after the naturalist George Montagu, it’s confined to the south of England when it returns from Africa to breed, often in arable crops. Similar in colouring to the hen harrier, Montagu’s are slimmer in frame and the cock has a black wing bar. It hunts...
400 pairs, status green (UK), least concern (Europe, global) The battleship-grey goshawk, with its intimidating stare, powerful short wings and strong yellow legs and feet, is the hard man of the raptor dynasty. Nothing – from a blue tit to a full-grown hare – is sacred. It’s favoured by falconers, who were the driving factor for their return as a ...
Current threats to birds of prey. The main problem affecting birds of prey today is illegal killing and the disturbance of nests. Sadly, incidents of this kind happen regularly across many parts of the UK and affect most bird of prey species. To find out more visit the Raptor Persecution Map Hub which records confirmed cases of raptor ...
- Buzzard. Buteo buteo. 51cm to 57cm. 113cm to 128cm. 550g to 1.3kg. Year-round. Learn more about the Buzzard. Common Buzzard. The Common buzzard is the UK’s most abundant bird of prey.
- Red Kite. Milvus milvus. 60cm to 72cm. 143cm to 195cm. 750g to 1.6kg. Year-round. Learn more about the Red Kite. Red kites are the UK’s largest common birds of prey, with an impressive wingspan of 175 to 185cm.
- Sparrowhawk. Accipiter nisus. 28cm to 40cm. 55cm to 70cm. 105g to 350g. Year-round. Learn more about the Sparrowhawk. Small but deadly, the Sparrowhawk is a small to medium-sized bird of prey from the Accipiter family.
- Kestrel. Falco tinnunculus. 32cm to 35cm. 71cm to 80cm. 136g to 314g. Year-round. Learn more about the Kestrel. Common kestrels are one of the UK’s most common birds of prey from the Falcon family.
The most widespread bird of prey in the UK. Broad, rounded wings, with a short neck and tail. Dark brown to creamy white but usually mottled brown. Barred belly and pale necklace on the breast. Quick stiff wingbeats. Glides with wings hunched and soars with wing in a V. Displays with deep dives.
During winter, wetlands are also important for other birds of prey such as hen harrier, merlin, peregrine and short-eared owls, all of which are attracted by the bounty of biodiversity that a wetland supports, however they aren’t strictly tied to wetland habitats. The UK’s birds of prey (or raptors) are the undisputed masters of the skies.
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Sep 12, 2023 · The Goshawk is a medium-sized bird of prey that exudes an aura of strength. It typically measures between 48 to 61 centimetres in length, with a wingspan ranging from 93 to 116 centimetres. Females are notably larger than males, a phenomenon known as sexual dimorphism, which is common in raptors.
