We have a resident buzzard who has decided our garden is the equivalent of a well stocked convenience store!! He divides his time between our garden and the local park.
He/she sits in one of the large oaks overlooking the pond.....he swoops down to the lawn and eats copious amounts of brown bread and the thrushes, blackbirds and smaller birds feed alongside him which made me wonder if he was the first vegetarian buzzard. I changed my mind when he espied a squirrel drinking from the pond and made straight for him but missed by a mile....so maybe he is somewhat shortsighted!!!
Last week I went out of the door and the heron was standing in the pond with one of our larger red goldfish in its beak. He flew upwards when he saw me and the buzzard flew down to attack him...there was an almighty screech as the heron flew away through the trees. I wasn't sure if the buzzard was after the heron or the fish in his beak.......we have seen this replayed almost daily which beggars the question as to why the heron returns knowing he is likely to be attacked!!! It is quite a scene to behold with the buzzard chasing the heron, our dog barking at the heron who is forced to fly low due to the aerial attack and the buzzards two "wing men", two crows who always seem to fly alongside him.
Is it common for buzzards to eat stuff other than carrion and would they attack a bird as large as a heron would anyone know??