Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Honey Buzzard
Pernis apivorus
European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 754 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Pernis
- Species apivorus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 754 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Honey Buzzard is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The European Honey Buzzard is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Europe and w Asia.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 754 g, with a wing length of about 40.7 cm and a tail of around 25.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 9.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Honey Buzzard?
The European Honey Buzzard is a large bird that weighs around 754 g.
Where does the European Honey Buzzard live?
The European Honey Buzzard is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Europe and w Asia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the European Honey Buzzard belong to?
The European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the European Honey Buzzard eat?
The European Honey Buzzard is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the European Honey Buzzard migrate?
The European Honey Buzzard is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the European Honey Buzzard endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the European Honey Buzzard make?
1 real field recording of the European Honey Buzzard — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the European Honey Buzzard's range?
The European Honey Buzzard has a mapped global range of about 9.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.