Honey Buzzards in Wales
A Taste for Honey, BBC Wildlife Magazine, July 2000, available here .
Subtitle: One of Britain's least-studied and rarest breeding birds could be breeding in a wood near you. Words: Iolo Williams.
Notes
Describes first detection of regular breeding in Wales in June 1991.
The pair failed that year but bred successfully in the next year.
Associated article -- Honey Buzzwords, from same url.
Subtitle: Work on honey buzzard breeding behaviour is now revealing many fascinating insights that can be used to aid its conservation. Words: Iolo Williams.
Notes
Majority of Welsh pairs produce two young.
Shatters belief that wet British climate is unsuitable for the species.
Research elsewhere in Britain confirms that adverse weather does not affect the species.
There is no doubt that the species has expanded its range in Britain so it is now widespread from Scotland to south west England though still very uncommon.
While global warming may be a reason for the increase, it is more likely that re-afforestation is the main cause.
The future of the Honey Buzzard as a regular breeding species in northern and western Britain appears to be secure.
Also see O'Shea, B, In Search of Birds in Wales, Skylark Books (2000), where a Welsh population of 15 pairs of Honey Buzzards is indicated.
Exciting Viewing Opportunity
See http://www.rspb.org.uk/wales/watching/honeybuzzards.asp for a web cam facility. The 'Honey Buzzards - Raptors of the Forest' project is run jointly between RSPB Cymru, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Forestry Commission Wales and the Wales Raptor Study Group.
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