Long-legged Buzzard

Buteo rufinus

Identity and identification

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus belongs to Accipitridae. Broad wings, often a pale head and a frequently rufous, sparsely barred adult tail are useful clues. Colour forms overlap with Common Buzzard. Combine carpal patches, wing and tail patterns and proportions rather than relying on rufous colour. It is placed in the order Accipitriformes. The IUCN category carried in AviList 2026 is Least Concern (LC).

Habitat, food and behaviour

Steppe, semidesert, slopes and open farmland provide hunting grounds. Rodents, reptiles, small birds and invertebrates contribute to its diet. It watches from a perch or soars before attacking. The importance of each prey group varies with habitat and availability.

Breeding and parental care

A twig nest stands on rocks or in a tree and may be reused. A small southwestern Iranian study documented three-egg clutches, incubation around 31 days and parental cooperation. This is a local sample, not a universal value; young require weeks of care before independence.

Range and Arab occurrence

Its range spans North Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia. Lebanon’s checklist describes a breeding resident supplemented by passage and winter birds. Geographical populations vary; appearance or a single sighting cannot determine an individual’s origin or migration strategy.

Seasonality and observation

Lebanese residents can be seen in November alongside possible immigrants. Suitable thermal conditions permit distant observation of soaring birds. Clear wing and tail views are important, especially when several buzzard species migrate together.

Ecological role and conservation

Rodent predation connects it with open-country food webs. Poisons, pesticides, electrocution, persecution and habitat loss are pressures. Raptor protection requires careful rodent and poison management because contaminated prey can transfer toxins to predators.

References

Ramadan-Jaradi et al. — Updated checklist of the birds of Lebanon, Sandgrouse 42 (2020), 186–238.

Türk J Zool 39 (2015), 702–707 — Breeding Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus in forests of southwestern Iran: feeding habits and reproductive performance.

The Peregrine Fund — Long-legged Buzzard.

AviList Core Team — AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2026 (20 October 2026).

Photo: Лариса Артемьева — CC0 1.0.