Buteo auguralis
The Red-necked Buzzard (*Buteo auguralis*), also known as the African Red-necked Buzzard, is a striking medium-sized raptor native to sub-Saharan Africa, recognized for its distinctive rufous-red coloration. Adults typically measure 45-50 cm in length with a wingspan of 100-120 cm, featuring dark brown upperparts, a conspicuous reddish-brown nape and neck, and white underparts often streaked or barred with rufous on the flanks and belly. A key identification mark is its rufous tail with a bro...
This versatile raptor favors woodlands, forest edges, savannas, and cultivated areas, often near human settlements. It occurs from lowlands up to moderate elevations, occasionally reaching 2,500 meters.
The diet primarily consists of small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and large insects. They mostly hunt from a perch, swooping down on unsuspecting prey.
Red-necked Buzzards are diurnal, commonly observed perched conspicuously on tree branches, utility poles, or other elevated vantage points during the day, where they often roost. Their primary foraging strategy involves perch-hunting, patiently scanning the ground for prey, though they also soar ...
The Red-necked Buzzard is a resident breeding species widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa. Its primary range extends in a broad band from Sierra Leone in West Africa, east through countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, reaching as far as Uga...
Least Concern
- Despite its name, the 'red neck' is often more of a rich rufous-brown, blending into the dark upperparts. - It is one of the most commonly encountered buzzards in many parts of its West and Central African range. - Often seen patiently waiting for prey along roadsides or atop telephone poles, m...