ABOUT
About Grey-faced Buzzard
Males are about 47 cm long and females about 51 cm, with a wingspan of 105-115 cm; a medium-sized hawk. The head is grayish-brown, the upperparts and breast are brown, and the throat is white with a black central streak. It preys mainly on small animals such as snakes, lizards, and frogs, as well as insects like cicadas and grasshoppers. It breeds in Kyushu and northward through Honshu and Shikoku, and once breeding is finished, birds migrate south from early September through the Nansei Islands toward Southeast Asia. Amami Oshima is known as Japan's largest wintering ground for the species, with the passage peaking around mid-October, when large numbers of birds can be seen circling and rising together in what is called a "hawk pillar." Many birds do not complete the journey south and instead winter on the island; an estimated 2,000 or so stay from November through around March. It is listed as Vulnerable on the Ministry of the Environment's Red List and on Appendix II of CITES. Around the forests used as roosts, avoid loud noises, sudden movements, and flash photography that could startle the birds into unnecessary flight, and observe quietly from a distance.
SAFETY
Observation Safety Notes
Please enjoy Amami's wildlife through photographs. Some species are protected by law or local ordinance, and capturing or removing them is prohibited. In special protection zones within the national park, collecting any wildlife is prohibited entirely. Please check the notes on this page, and confirm local rules before visiting any site.
Wild birds aren't something to catch and take home — they're best enjoyed by observing and photographing them without disturbing them. Keep a good distance, and avoid using playback calls or food to lure them in. Parent birds and chicks are especially sensitive while nesting or breeding; approaching too closely or making noise can cause the nest to be abandoned or the chicks to fail to fledge successfully. Avoid flash or strong lights when photographing at night, and don't share information online that could reveal a nest's exact location.
