Himalayan Buzzard

Buteo burmantcus

Beak

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Feet

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Crest

No crest

Resident and winter visitor to Himalayas; also winter visitor to NE India. Typically with variable streaking on breast and brown patches on sides of belly; tail is grey-brown to greyish-white with diffuse dark barring (with tail appearing pale and unbarred from below); shows prominent dark carpal patches on underwing; can be similar in appearance to larger Upland. Himalayan breeding birds are la rger than migrant burman/cus and very rufous. They have been ascribed to 'B. b. refectus' but that name appears to refer to wintering birds from further north, i. e. burman/cus. The Himalayan birds are probably an undescribed race (or species) more closely related to 8. b. vu/pinus. If this is confirmed then burman/cus would more appropriately be referred to as 'Chinese Buzzard '. Mountains and cultivated slopes.