NOTE ON THE MIGRATION OF THE TIC-WEE BUZZARD 

 IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 



By RiCHAED C. McGregor. 



{From the Ornithological Section, Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Seienee, 

 Manila, P. I.) 



The gray-faced buzzard-eagle or Javan buzzard^ Butasiur indicus 

 (Gmelin), is the commonest and most widely distributed falconid in 

 the Philippines. It has been definitely recorded from not less than 

 twentji'-seven islands of the Archipelago. Its general distribution as 

 given by Blanford ^ is Eastern Asia from Japan and China to the Ma- 

 layan Peninsula and Islands as far as the Philippines, Celebes, and New 

 Guinea. 



This species is migratory in a large part of its range and it is on this 

 phase of its life history that I wish to record, a few notes. I will first 

 quote a paragraph from Meyer and Wiglesworth ^ as being of particular 

 interest in this connection. 



It is possible to show that this species occurs in tlie East Indian Archipelago 

 only as a migi'ant from China, Ussuriland, and Japan during the northeast 

 monsoon, the winter in the latter countries. Such Mr. Whitehead considered 

 it imdoubtedly to be in Borneo, and Mr. Everett states that "it appears in Labuan 

 and Northern Borneo in September and remains through the mnter. It is quite 

 the most abundant of the migratory as Haliastur intermedius is of the [page 47] 

 resident birds of prey in those parts of the island." Mr. Whitehead also remarks 

 it as a migrant in Palawan. Abbe David states that it breeds in the mountains 

 near Peking, although it appears not to be plentiful in China; further south it 

 passes through the lower Yangtse country, as Mr. F. W. Styan writes, "on 

 migration in March and April. A good number travel together, and remain a 

 week or so .among the hills on their way; they seem to avoid the plains." 

 Apparently the~ species is resident, or some remain to breed, in the Philippines, 

 an egg, which appears to belong to this species, having been obtained in Mindanao 

 by Schadenberg and Koch. 



Gates ^ records an egg of this species from "Eastern Siberia 29th April 

 (Dorries)." This egg is "a regular oval in shape, smooth, fairly glossy, and 

 plain white with a very slight tinge of blue." 



'Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds (1895), 3, 365. 

 = Birds of Celebes (1898), 1, 46. 

 "Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902), 2, 278. 



