Honey buzzard

The insect specialist. The European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus) resembles European buzzards in appearance but has little in common with them. It is a specialist feeder, primarily feeding on wasps, bumblebees, bees, and their larvae. Its talons are only slightly curved and adapted for digging out wasp nests, and the feathers on its face are scale-like and stiff, protecting it from the stings of its prey. European honey buzzards exhibit variable plumage, ranging from almost pure white to dark brown. In autumn, they migrate to Africa, returning in May to raise their young. The fledglings spend the summer in their wintering grounds. They often do not return to their European breeding grounds for another year and a half.