Oriental honey buzzard
Bandipur tiger reserve, Karnataka
The dark morph of the Oriental Honey Buzzard is quite common in Bandipur and looks very elegant. It is a large raptor and can be found in several morphs across India. Unlike the White-eyed Buzzard, it is not very shy but often prefers to perch on a clean spot or high up in a tree.
Muthanallur Lake, Karnataka
Crested Honey Buzzard: The light morph of the Honey Buzzard is truly fascinating and a sight worth witnessing. I spotted it at Muthanallur Lake in Bangalore. It was quite large and was perched on a clean branch of a tree, preening itself for a long time. Initially, I mistook it for a Changeable Hawk-Eagle because of its crest, but I later corrected the identification.
Byatarayana Doddi Kere, Karnataka
I spotted these two in Byatarayana Doddi Kere, where Oriental Honey Buzzards (OHB) are very common. Around 3-4 morphs can be seen in this area. If you notice, the morph of the first one is quite grayish, with a whitish head and black eyes. The second one has a different wing pattern and color. Honey Buzzards fly very slowly and in circles, keeping their heads down while searching for prey. However, their signature hunting behavior is searching for honeycombs on trees. I hope that someday I’ll capture the signature behavior.
