European Buzzard

[Kris Hughes]

I've been thinking about this bird lately. For north Americans - this is nothing like the vultures that people on this continent call buzzards - it's a commonly seen eagle-like bird of prey (Buteo buteo, in Latin).

Does anyone know any bird lore, folklore, Druid lore about these birds? A quick internet search certainly didn't turn anything up for me, yet they are so common in Britain that I'm surprised. There's lots of First Nation stuff about the American vulture/buzzard, but I'm drawing a blank on the European buzzard.

Thanks in advance!
Kris

[Corwen]

They are very common, I've seen as many as 8 in the air at one time over the farm here. They eat roadkill among other things which is probably why they are doing well at the moment.

[Kris Hughes]

They are very common, I've seen as many as 8 in the air at one time over the farm here. They eat roadkill among other things which is probably why they are doing well at the moment.

Yes, when I lived in Scotland they were everywhere. We used to call them "tourist eagles". I have a nice memory of riding through some woods one day. It was raining fairly steadily and as I came around a corner, there was a big buzzard hunched up on a tree branch right at my eye level. He just looked miserable, and didn't even acknowledge me (animals often don't when you're on horseback).

I don't remember seeing them eating roadkill, so much. Where abouts are you, Corwen? (Edit: Oh, East Dorset, should have checked.)

[NovaStar]

You can often see multiple buzzards riding thermals - was that image that had me take up paragliding years ago: i wanted to soar with them

When i worked at a wildlife rescue and birds of prey centre, i used to take out a buzzard called Skye whilst fundraising, she was such a beautiful and intelligent bird but agreed, there doesnt seem to be much written.

[katie bridgewater]

I know of no traditional folklore associated with buzzards. They're ever so common in the UK so not something special. They have acquired some status in recent years because most people live in towns these days, and are not used to seeing them, but I don't think they have any magical properties traditionally. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

There is a lot of folklore/tradition/superstition attached to Corvids in Europe. Wrens are also very special, as are herons and cranes, cuckoos nightingales...The list is endless, so really the buzzard is a very ordinary bird in comparison!

[Kris Hughes]

I know of no traditional folklore associated with buzzards. They're ever so common in the UK so not something special. They have acquired some status in recent years because most people live in towns these days, and are not used to seeing them, but I don't think they have any magical properties traditionally. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

There is a lot of folklore/tradition/superstition attached to Corvids in Europe. Wrens are also very special, as are herons and cranes, cuckoos nightingales...The list is endless, so really the buzzard is a very ordinary bird in comparison!

Yes, this is what I find odd. So many other common birds - the ones you've mentioned, but also robins, swans, geese, and other birds that are "ordinary" have folk beliefs or mythology associated with them. Although, when I think about it, birds of prey seem to have less in Britain than songbirds, corvids, etc.

[katie bridgewater]

I don't think it's that odd Kris - if you think about it, you see buzzards every day, they don't do anything mysterious (like disappear for months on end, appear to speak or mimic speech, lay their eggs in another bird's nest, fly in amazing formations, hang around humans like robins do sing magnificently etc), nor do they look amazing - just boring muddy mottled brown, they just eat other animals, dead or alive and fly about a lot and they are neither huge like an eagle or tiny like a wren. They don't appear to interact with humans very much so they don't really feature in our web of close relationships. They don't compete with us for food, and we can't even eat them...There are lots of ordinary birds with no folklore attached for many of the same reasons.

We make myths about animals who do interesting or amazing things, and who interact with us or have an impact on our human world, in terms of food chain or culture (like the robin who hangs around humans because we turn the earth and reveal grubs). If creatures do none of these things, they are of little interest to us and I suspect vice versa.

[Kris Hughes]

Katie - What you say does make sense. I guess I expect every living thing to have a story.... Maybe they don't.

[katie bridgewater]

But every living thing DOES have a story, Kris, just not always one you need to know about...

I found Graham Harvey's Animist Manifesto most helpful in getting my head round this concept. He has kindly given us permission to reproduce the Manifesto on our website:

http://www.ancientmusic.co.uk/bear_tribe/about.html

[Kris Hughes]

But every living thing DOES have a story, Kris, just not always one you need to know about...

I found Graham Harvey's Animist Manifesto most helpful in getting my head round this concept. He has kindly given us permission to reproduce the Manifesto on our website:

http://www.ancientmusic.co.uk/bear_tribe/about.html

Just read the manifesto. I love it!