Madagascar buzzard facts for kids
The Madagascar buzzard (Buteo brachypterus) is a cool bird of prey that lives only on the island of Madagascar. This means it's endemic to Madagascar, you won't find it anywhere else in the world! It's a type of hawk from a large group of birds called Buteo in the Accipitridae family.
Quick facts for kids Madagascar buzzard |
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What Does It Look Like?
The Madagascar buzzard looks a lot like other buzzards you might see in Africa or Europe. Its feathers can look a bit different from one bird to another. It has a dark grey head and a white patch on its chest. Its lower belly and upper legs are brownish-white with brown spots. The tail has wide brownish-black stripes. Its beak is black with a greyish-blue cere (the waxy part above the beak). Its eyes are yellow, and its legs and feet are pale yellow.
Where Does It Live?
This buzzard lives only in Madagascar, where it is quite common. However, it's not as common in the middle of the island where many forests have been cut down.
The Madagascar buzzard is very good at adapting to different places. You can find it in many types of homes, like thick forests, open woodlands, and even forests that are growing back after being cut down. It can also live on rocky hillsides, high up to 2,300 meters (about 7,500 feet) above sea level! Even though it's so adaptable, it still prefers areas with more trees.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Madagascar buzzards usually have their babies between July and November. They build their nests in the forks of trees, in palm trees, or on ledges of cliffs. They make their nests from sticks and line them with fresh green leaves.
A female buzzard usually lays one or two eggs. She starts sitting on the eggs (incubating them) as soon as the first one is laid. The eggs hatch after about 4 to 5 weeks. When two chicks hatch, usually only the older, stronger chick survives. It takes about 6 to 7 weeks for the young birds to grow enough feathers to fly (this is called fledging).
What Does It Eat?
The Madagascar buzzard is a clever hunter and eats many different things. It hunts small mammals, other birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, terrestrial crabs, and other large insects and spiders.
Scientists have also seen lemurs (like the ruffed lemur and Verreaux's sifaka) make alarm calls when they spot a Madagascar buzzard. This suggests that sometimes, young lemurs might be caught by these buzzards.
