THE BIRDS 01 PREY OF THE PUNJAB. 



1001 



Genus Buteo. 



No. 1:?41. Buteo desertorum. The Common Buzzard. 



Characteristics. 

 Colouration. 



Measurements. 



Habits, etc. 



Tarsus under 3", feathered for about J its length 

 or a little over, naked part in front usually scutellate. 

 Wing under 16" ; irides brown. 



As in B. ferox very variable, individuals varying 

 from dark to light brown on the upper j^arts, with a 

 darker shaft-stripe to each feather, and a rufous 

 margin . 



This latter is particularly noticeable in young 

 birds. " Sides of head paler than crown, usually 

 more or less streaked brown, the streaks generally 

 forming a dark or blackish moustachial stripe from 

 the gape, and frequently another streak running- 

 back from the eye. Primary quills with long dark 

 brown or blackish ends, all the remainder white 

 beneath the wing, brown on the outer web above, rufous 

 or white on the inner and more or less barred and 

 mottled." 



The white portion of the primaries makes a most 

 conspicuous patch, seen only when the bird flies. 



The lower parts vary from almost white to a rufous - 

 brown, with irregular spots on breast and abdomen 

 and long dark streaks on the throat. " The flanks 

 and thigh-coverts and sometimes the abdomen all 

 brown, or the two latter brown with more or less in- 

 distinct white or bufl' bars.'' 



There is also the dark phase of plumage which 

 is " dark smoky or chocolate brown throughout, 

 except the bases of the quills, which are white or 

 whity-brown mottled and barred darker, and the 

 tail, which is banded with light brown." (Blanford.) 



" Bill black, bluish-grey towards the base ; 

 cere yellow ; irides brown ; legs and feet yellow." 

 (Blanford.) 



Length of female about 20" ; tail 9" ; wing 15|" ; 

 tarsus 2"8". Males are less, wing 14-5". (Blanford). 

 Expanse about 4 feet. 



This species is said to come down to the plains 

 during the winter months, but I cannot say that I 

 have ever seen one. Out of some 25 to 30 Buz- 

 zards which I have caught at various times, I have 

 not succeeded in getting any other species than 

 B. ferox, on the plains nor B. desertorum in the hills. 

 Of course B. ferox is very common among the lower 

 hills throughout the winter, but 1 here refer to the 

 higher ranges, between 8,000 feet and 11,000 feet 

 above sea level, where the Common Buzzard is 

 usually to be found. 



Throughout the Himalayas, from Kashmir to 

 Bushahr (in the Simla District), I have found this 

 species, or at any rate what I have taken for granted 

 is this species, from its smaller size, whereas the few 

 1 have caught have proved to be so. On the 

 margins of open glens, surrounded by thick forest, 



