This strikingly plumaged raptor is also known as the African red-tailed hawk, and occupies a similar ecological niche to that of our red-tails here in North America. Its name can be a source of confusion for Americans due to the varying uses of the word “buzzard”; in the New World, it denotes a carrion eating bird, while in Europe and Africa, it means hawk. Augurs are one of the highest-flying of all birds, preferring high- altitude habitats and frequently sighted soaring between 6,000 and 10,000 feet.
Augur Buzzard
Buteo augur
- Classification: Bird
- Lifespan in Captivity: 30+ yrs
- Lifespan in the Wild: 10-20 yrs
- Wingspan: 4-5 ft
- Weight: 2-3 lbs
- Range: Eastern Africa
- Habitat: Open Savannah, highlands, cultivated land with adjacent mountains
- Diet in the Wild: reptiles, small mammals, ground-dwelling birds, carrion, insects
- Diet at Wildlife Images: rodents, poultry, donated meats
