Honey Buzzard Phenology in Holland
Breeding Season Timing from 2000-2003
Full Sources:
Bijlsma, R G, 2001. Trends and breeding success of raptors in The Netherlands in 2000. De Takkeling 9: 12-52.
Bijlsma, R G, 2002. Trends and breeding success of raptors in The Netherlands in 2001. De Takkeling 10(1): 7-48.
Bijlsma, R G, 2003. Trends and breeding performance of raptors in The Netherlands in 2002. De Takkeling 11(1): 6-54.
Bijlsma, R G, 2004. Trends and breeding performance of raptors in The Netherlands in 2003. De Takkeling 12(1): 7-55.
Web references to summaries of above, used for compilation below in Table 1, are at
2003 report 2002 report 2001 report 2000 report
|
Year |
First egg laid |
Average onset of laying |
Latest onset of laying |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2000 |
15th May |
22nd May |
|
Only 17% non-layers in one area; several nestlings weighed over 1,200g; 1.8 nestlings/successful pair; very successful year with plentiful food supply |
|
2001 |
21st May |
28th May |
9th June
|
12/35 nests failed in one area; 1.54 nestlings/successful pair |
|
2002 |
20th May |
27th May |
9th June
|
Apparently many novice birds in population; 1.73 nestlings/successful pair |
|
2003 |
22nd May |
31st May |
9th June
|
Poor food supply, many failures |
Table 1: Times for Onset of Laying and Comments on Breeding Season in Holland 2000-2003
Table 1 shows that the earliest onset of laying varies from 15th-22nd May over the four years. Incubation is given as 30-35 days and fledging as 40-45 days (Cramp, 1980, p.21-22), giving 70-80 days in total. Adding 70-80 days to earliest egg laying dates would give earliest fledging dates of 24th July - 10th August. Mean fledging dates would be later than this, ranging from 31st July - 19th August. Latest fledging times would vary from 18th August - 28th August.
It is clear that in Holland juvenile Honey Buzzards will start to fledge in the last week of July with peak fledging in the first half of August and stragglers through to the last week of August.
Nick Rossiter 2005
